Cause of sudden death revealed after young Manly Sea Eagles footy star on the verge of NRL debut collapsed at training

Male player Keith Titmuss likely died of heat stroke after training at the NRL club, an inquest has heard.

The 20-year-old’s sudden death was investigated during a coronavirus investigation that began on Monday, more than three years after the emerging talent fell ill during pre-season training.

Titmuss noticed body cramps while stretching after a cardio workout and suffered a seizure on November 23, 2020 at the club’s base in Narrabeen, on Sydney’s northern beaches.

He later died at Royal North Shore Hospital after being taken there in an ambulance.

Although a post-mortem report failed to determine the cause of death, counsel assisting coroner Adam Casselden SC told the court that Titmuss had most likely suffered heatstroke.

Paramedics who arrived on the scene noted that Titmuss’ temperature was 41.9 degrees Celsius, while his heart rate was over 140 beats per minute.

The male coaching staff noted that Titmuss had struggled during training, as his weight increased from 112 kg to 116.9 kg.

“The fact is that, relatively speaking, Keith was less fit and less conditioned for the heat than he would have been at other times,” Casselden said.

‘Research among American football players has shown that the risk of heat exertion is greatest in the first fourteen training days after the off-season.’

His death came just three days after his time as a member of the club’s top-30 NRL squad.

Titmuss was a rising star at the club, having delivered the Sea Eagles their first Holden Cup title in 2017 with a siren try to beat Parramatta.

He scored the winning try for Wayne Lambkin’s side in the last cup final before being named a player in the 2019 Jersey Flegg Cup team.