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Paul Green’s movements in the days leading up to his tragic death on Thursday have come to light as it’s revealed his heartbroken wife Amanda found him unconscious in their Brisbane home.
The legendary Cronulla player and Cowboys and Queensland coach is believed to have taken his own life at about 10am, with Queensland Police saying the circumstances of his death were ‘not suspicious’.
Those closest to Green – including his best friends, family and even his wife – had no inkling he was on the verge of making such a tragic decision, according to the Courier Mail.
Amanda Green returned home from a pilates session on just after 10am on Thursday and found her husband non-responsive, according to the report.
The premiership winner could not be revived by paramedics.
‘He was declared deceased by emergency crews a short time later,’ a police spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia. ‘There are no suspicious circumstances. A report will be prepared for the Coroner.’
Green’s wife Amanda (pictured together) made the shattering discovery at their Brisbane home at around 10am on Thursday
Their son Jed (pictured with his parents and sister Emerson) celebrated his ninth birthday just 24 hours before his father’s death
The previous 24 hours were marked by a happy occasion for the Green family, according to former North Queensland Cowboys chairman Laurence Lancini, who hired Green as coach of the side in 2014.
‘I just feel totally devastated, I believe it was his son Jed’s birthday yesterday,’ he explained.
Green’s only boy turned nine on Wednesday and the family threw a party for him.
On Monday, Green called his good mate Lancini for a chat and gave no indication of his immensely troubled state of mind.
‘I had spoken to Paul just three days ago and he said we need to catch up for a beer,’ Lancini said.
Former North Queensland Cowboys chairman Laurence Lancini (pictured) – who recruited Green to coach the club in 2014 – said his good mate told him they should catch up for a beer when they spoke on Monday
Supercoach Wayne Bennett (pictured) met with Green last week about making him an assistant coach at the Dolphins when they enter the NRL next year
According to the report, Green called his manager George Mimis – who also has some of the NRL’s biggest stars on his books – at 4.30pm the day before he died and discussed his son’s birthday.
Mimis had recently been asking Green whether he wanted to return to coaching after standing down from the Cowboys in 2020 and losing the 2021 State of Origin series in his only year at the helm of the Queensland team.
He said his mate wanted to return to working in the NRL – and he was taking steps to make that happen.
Green had met with legendary coach Wayne Bennett last week and looked a good bet to work as his assistant with the Dolphins when they become the NRL’s latest team next year.
He had also been mentioned as a top candidate to replace struggling coaches at the Bulldogs, Gold Coast Titans and Wests Tigers this year.
Green was in Sydney last weekend for a reunion for the Cronulla Sharks, the team he starred at halfback for from 1994 to 1998, guiding them to the 1997 Super League grand final and winning the 1995 Rothmans Medal as the best player in Australia.
The most incredible moment of a stellar career: Green celebrates with the Cowboys after winning the 2015 grand final. His manager George Mimis – who spoke with him on the afternoon before he died – said he wanted to return to the NRL
The club legend joined dozens of iconic Sharks stars doing a lap of honour around the team’s home ground before their match against arch-rivals St George Illawarra for Old Boys Day Saturday night – appearing in good spirits during a short interview.
‘It’s great to be back,’ Green told Sharks ground announcer Dane Wheeler.
‘It’s a terrific night, great crowd and the weather is good for Shark Park, so let’s hope the footy is great.
‘I’ve had plenty of good memories and it’s great to catch up with all the old boys today, it’s been a ton of laughs and really well done by the club.’
Green attended a Cronulla Sharks reunion in Sydney last weekend and appeared to be in great spirits as he did a lap of honour around the club’s home ground (pictured)
Green went on to play for the Cowboys, Roosters and Eels in a first-grade career that spanned 10 years and ended in 2004, racking up 162 games with 37 tries to his name.
The diminutive half played seven State of Origin games for Queensland from 1998 to 2001 and played two matches for the Australian Super League team in 1997.
His stellar coaching career began with the Cowboys in 2014 and the next year he guided the club to their only premiership, a thrilling 17-16 victory over the Brisbane Broncos in extra time.
Many good judges believe getting the side to the 2017 grand final without superstars Johnathan Thurston and Matt Scott was an even finer achievement than winning the competition two seasons previously.
Green coached Queensland’s State of Origin team for one series in 2021. When he resigned from that job last September, it appeared certain he would resume his days as an NRL coach.
Beyond those still at North Queensland, he has coached several players across the game who began their careers in Townsville or played for the Maroons last year.
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