Australian rugby league has been left shocked and devastated by the death of championship winning coach Paul Green, who was tragically found dead a day after his son's ninth birthday.
The 49-year-old was found dead in the garage of his Brisbane home. Queensland police attended the scene and said the circumstances of his death were not suspicious. A post-mortem will be carried out in due course.
In just his second year of coaching Green led the North Queensland Cowboys to their first premiership crown after beating Brisbane Broncos 17-16 in extra time. He led Queensland in the State of Origin series before resigning last season.
Green's family paid a loving tribute to the father of two young children. Their statement said: "Today we are devastated. We cannot find the words that would come close to expressing our feelings, however we would like to extend our thanks to those who have reached out with their love and support."
Clubs and members of the rugby league community also paid tribute to Green who was an ex-Cronulla Sharks halfback star as a player winning the Rothmans Medal in 1995.
Green's playing career spanned 10 years between 1994 and 2004 and saw him play 162 first-grade games scoring 37 tries. Starting with the Cronulla Sharks he guided them to 1997 Super League Grand Final. Despite being small in stature Green was known for his determination.
He went on to play for the North Queensland, Sydney Roosters, Parramatta before finishing his career at the Brisbane Broncos. The Broncos tweeted: 'We are deeply saddened at the tragic passing of Queenslander and former Bronco, Paul Green. A legend on and off the field gone far too soon.'
