Townsville mourns premiership winning North Queensland Cowboys Coach Paul Green

Townsville has reacted with shock to the sudden, and tragic, death of premiership-winning coach Paul Green as former Cowboys captain Paul Bowman reacts to the sad news.

TOWNSVILLE has reacted with shock to the sudden, and tragic, death of premiership winning North Queensland Cowboys Coach Paul Green.

The former coach and player, who took the reins at the Cowboys in 2014 and led them to their first ever premiership a year later, was 49.

The 2015 premiership, widely regarded as the greatest of all time, saw Green and his star playmaker Jonathan Thurston claim the NRL premiership in a nail-biting, golden point win over the Brisbane Broncos in the first ever all-Queensland grand final.

Green also coached the Queensland State of Origin side and represented both his state and country during his playing years.

Two years after the maiden premiership, Green once again led the Cowboys to a grand final, but this time fell to the Melbourne Storm.

He also played for the Cowboys, Broncos, Cronulla Sharks, Sydney Roosters and Paramatta Eels throughout his 162 game first-grade career.

Paul Bowman with Paul Green. Picture: Scott Radford-chisholm

Former North Queensland Cowboys captain Paul Bowman, who played alongside Green in the club’s 1999 - 2000 season when both players were selected as the club’s first state representatives in State of Origin, said the loss was hard to come to terms with.

“It's horrific news to hear. It’s absolutely tragic. My thoughts and prayers go out to Amanda and the kids. I think I’m still trying to process it. It just doesn’t seem like it could be real.”

Bowman served alongside Green on the field, and also off of it, in the role of high performance manager during the club’s premiership winning years.

“As a player, when he signed, he was at the peak of his career. He’d won the Rothmans medal a few years earlier in Sydney which is what the Dally M used to be called,” he said.

“He taught me a lot as a player about professionalism and being a team-man. He was very big on the boys getting together and enjoying each other’s company. He pushed a lot of that and brought the team a lot closer together.”

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Bowman described Green as a ‘competitor’, and said he brought that quality both on and off the field throughout his career.

“He was a competitor. He didn’t want to lose anything, he was good at any sport he put his hand to and he would compete like a dog after a bone for any little advantage he could get,” Bowman said.

“That attitude probably translated to his coaching career. He didn’t leave any stone unturned in terms of preparation of the side. He brought a new level and new standard when he came back to the Cowboys.

“We were trying to get to that next level as a club, we hadn’t been able to take that next step beyond the finals. He made sure that we did.”

Bowman called Green’s 2015 premiership win as the “greatest moment in the club’s history by an absolute mile”.

“The contributions from so many people over so many years, having it culminate in that, it was the greatest achievement the club’s had, we’re all very thankful to Greeny for that,” Bowman said.

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Long-time fan and Cowboys podcast ‘On the Ranch’ host Rob Hartley said while the outpouring from all clubs had been immense during a heartbreaking day, Green’s contribution to the Cowboys had revitalised the North Queensland fanbase.

“It’s a massive loss, I wish we’d been able to talk to him more. We ran into him a couple of times over the years, he was always a nice guy and humble, so it’s a massive, massive loss for the community,” Hartley said.

“We always felt like we were looked down on by the rest of the league, in those good years between 2014 and ‘17, we really won that respect, and not to distract from our other coaches, but that came through Greeny. He brought the team a lot of focus.

“A lot of eyes at the time were on JT and Matty Bowen and the other players and the coaches miss out a little bit, but I think everyone remembers his face when we won that grand final.”

Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill said the city had lost a hero in Green, whose achievements would forever be etched into North Queensland sporting folklore.

“I am greatly saddened to hear of the passing of Paul Green,” Cr Hill said.

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“Paul played a significant role in North Queensland’s sporting culture having led the North Queensland Cowboys to their first premiership in 2015. I know he will be dearly missed by many in our community and will be remembered as a hero to rugby league fans in our region.

“On behalf of everyone at Townsville City Council I’d like to offer my condolences to Paul’s wife Amanda and their children during this time.”

Herbert MP Phillip Thompson said news of the loss was devastating.

“It’s devastating to hear the news of the tragic and sudden passing of Paul Green. He was someone I got to know over many years in his time here with the Cowboys, someone who offered fearless and frank advice, and someone I called a mate. It’s a very sad loss not just for the NRL but for Townsville. My heart goes out to his family in this tragic time.”

Townsville representative Scott Stewart said it was hard to find the words to describe the importance of Green’s 2015 premiership.

“Paul Green was and always will be an icon of Townsville and North Queensland,” Stewart said.

“He took the North Queensland Cowboys to their first grand final win in 2015 and it was a moment that brought Townsville and the region together in a way that’s hard to express.

“Like everyone, I’m shocked and saddened to hear of his death and I send my condolences to his family, friends and the entire NRL community.”

Originally published as Townsville mourns premiership winning North Queensland Cowboys Coach Paul Green