The Former Origin Greats family has been left devastated by the tragic news of the death of FOG No.113 Paul Green.

Known universally as “Greeny”, the former halfback enjoyed a stellar rugby league career as a player and coach, winning the 1995 Rothmans Medal as the ARL premiership’s best and fairest player, then famously coaching the Cowboys to their first premiership win in 2015.

Green played seven games for Queensland after making his debut in the 1999 series, playing in all three matches of the victorious 2001 campaign under Wayne Bennett.

A Wynnum-Manly junior, Green played for Brisbane Easts, Cronulla, the Cowboys, the Roosters, Parramatta and Brisbane before stepping into coaching as a skills coach with the Broncos.

In 2021, he came full circle in the Origin arena by becoming Queensland coach. In a tough series, Green handed a number of Maroons their Origin debuts, and won his final game in charge with a 20-18 win over the Blues at Cbus Super Stadium on the Gold Coast.

FOGS Executive Chairman Gene Miles said the Maroons family was in shock at the news of the loss of 49-year-old Green.

“I think everyone is just in a state of shock at the moment. Greeny always brought such energy and passion to everything he did, it is just hard to comprehend that he is gone,” Miles said.

“He had carved himself a slice of rugby league history as a player and a coach, and built a hard-earned reputation as a hard taskmaster who expected results.

“As a player he won the Rothmans medal in the Brisbane competition and then did the same in Sydney, played Origin for Queensland and for the Super League Australian team.

“He did it all, but then his rugby league stocks rose even higher by becoming the first coach to take the Cowboys to the premiership, and a couple of the grand finals.

“While he didn’t have the success he wanted as Queensland coach, it certainly wasn’t through a lack of effort on his behalf. He put everything into his time with the Maroons, the same as he did with everything.

“It is unfortunate he only got the one series as coach, because the cavalry was only just arriving with our playing depth when he stepped aside.

“To lose Greeny at such a young age is just terribly tragic. There is no other way to describe it.

“Everyone at FOGS and in the wider Queensland Rugby League community extends our deepest sympathies to Greeny’s family and friends.”