Vale Kyle Turner, South Sydney Rabbitohs premiership winner dies, age 31

Ex-teammates have paid tribute to former Rabbitoh Kyle Turner, after the premiership winner passed away aged 31. WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this story contains the name and image of a deceased Indigenous person.

WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this story contains the name and image of a deceased Indigenous person.

NRL superstars Nicho Hynes, Adam Reynolds and Cameron Murray have led a chorus of tributes for a shocked rugby league community mourning the passing of former South Sydney premiership-winner Kyle Turner.

Encouraging friends and loved ones to check-in on each other, the trio paid tribute to the 31-year-old, who died on Friday.

In a mark of respect, both the Rabbitohs and Turner’s junior club the Coonabarabran Unicorns will retire the jersey numbers he once wore.

Turner wore No. 15 during South Sydney’s breakthrough NRL grand final win in what was his first season in the NRL and then wore No. 11 after he moved back to his home town and played for his local team.

The Rabbitohs will retire the #15 jersey in memory of Kyle Turner. Picture: AAP Image

A hard-nosed forward with a fearless attitude towards defence, Turner was part of the Rabbitohs’ historic NRL premiership side of 2014 which broke the club’s 43-year title drought.

Fondly nicknamed “Big Dog” by his peers, Turner played 130 grade games with the South Sydney club, including 91 in first grade between 2011 and 2019.

He also represented the Indigenous All Stars on two occasions in 2015 and 2017 as well as Country Origin once in 2017.

News of his passing spread throughout the game with immediate shock and grief.

Thomas Burgess, who played alongside Turner at Souths, spoke for a shattered rugby league community.

“Absolutely tragic. Lost for words when I heard the news. RIP Big Dog,’’ Burgess wrote across his social media channels.

“Will always be a truly loved Rabbitoh and in all our hearts.

“The whole RL community are for his friends and family.’’

Hynes, the reigning Dally M champion and passionate advocate for mental health, took to Instagram to express his sadness.

“Very devastating news,’’ Hynes wrote.

“Check in on your friends people. Sending love to the Turner family.’’

Reynolds was the Rabbitohs halfback who lifted the premiership trophy alongside Turner in 2014. The veteran playmaker simply posted a photo alongside Turner with a broken heart emoji.

Former Rabbitohs winger Bryson Goodwin posted: “Blown away by the news. It’s so heartbreaking to lose a mate so young.’’

Andrew Fifita, who played with Turner in the 2017 Indigenous All Stars side, wrote: “Rest in love bala.”

South Sydney captain Cameron Murray posted a picture of Turner with the words “Rest Easy Big Dog.’’

Rabbitohs chief executive Blake Solly also paid tribute to Turner.

“Kyle was an amazing human being,” Solly said.

“He epitomised the country boy rugby league player. He was such a tough, uncompromising player on the field, yet a lovely, generous man off the field.

“Over his nine years with our club he contributed a lot of time to Souths Cares and was very popular among his teammates, colleagues, our members and supporters alike.

“We offer our full support to his family and friends at this very difficult time, and he will always be remembered at our club as a man that delivered a premiership to the Rabbitohs, but also a man that connected deeply with his communities.

“We will hold him close to our hearts for the rest of this season and in the years to come. Vale Kyle Turner.”

Kyle Turner (centre rear) with the Coonabarabran Unicorns.

The Rabbitohs play Newcastle on Sunday afternoon and will wear black armbands in his memory.

Turner joined the Rabbitohs in 2011 and won the club’s under-20s player of the year.

He recovered from a career- threatening neck injury while playing in the Indigenous All-Stars game in 2015 but struggled to recapture his form after that.

Turner played out his career wearing a neck support brace.

After 91 NRL games and at the age of 27 he retired from the NRL and returned to his home town of Coonabarabran where he became a teacher and played some local football.

He had three children.

His junior club Coonabarabran Unicorns posted an image of the club’s logo with a black line across it yesterday.

“Kyle has a massive legacy in the football community,” club president Steve Walton said.

“A lot of juniors admired him, looked up to him, wanted to be like him.

He was such a role model for not only them, but us at the club and all of our players.”

Originally published as Vale Kyle Turner, South Sydney Rabbitohs premiership winner dies, age 31