The truth about Rowan Baxter’s football career

Rowan Baxter, who killed his family in a Brisbane car fire, was a footy player who continued to rub shoulders with high-profile stars.

The man who killed his three children and their mother when he set a car alight in Brisbane was once a professional football player who, despite not playing a fully fledged NRL game, continued to rub shoulders with elite stars after his career ended.

Rowan Baxter reportedly jumped into his estranged wife’s car on Raven St in the Brisbane suburb of Camp Hill on Wednesday and set it on fire, then stabbed himself in the chest. He was later pronounced dead.

Three children, Aaliyah, 6, Laianah, 4 and Trey, 3, were found dead inside the burning vehicle. The mother of the children, Hannah Baxter, 31, was rushed to hospital but later died of her injuries.

Per the NZ Herald, Mr Baxter was remembered by a long-serving staff member of Tauranga Boys’ College, where he went to school, as an “impressive athlete”. His sporting prowess at school led to him playing rugby union in New Zealand’s domestic competition, before he converted to rugby league in his 20s.

Mr Baxter, who predominantly played as a winger, became a member of the New Zealand Warriors NRL squad. He was contracted to the Warriors in 2005 on a $10,000 playing fee, but never played a game in the top grade.

“Rowan didn’t play an NRL match. He was in our full-time NRL squad in 2005. He played in NRL trials,” a Warriors spokesman said.

Baxter’s 2005 NZ Warriors squad photo. Picture: Andrew Cornaga/Photosport

Playing in the Bartercard Cup Final in 2006. Picture: Hannah Johnston/Photosport

Mr Baxter, who grew up in the Tauranga region on New Zealand’s North Island, played a pre-season game for the Warriors against the Parramatta Eels in 2005 and represented New Zealand A a year earlier.

He also played for the Auckland Lions in the Bartercard Cup — the top rugby league competition in New Zealand in the early 2000s. Mr Baxter was part of the Lions team that won the premiership in 2006.

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Baxter (R) played for the Auckland Lions.

Baxter gets tackled during the 2006 Bartercard Cup grand final.

Mr Baxter was the brother of former rugby star Charles, who played as a winger for the Bay of Plenty Steamers and represented New Zealand on the international Rugby Sevens circuit for five seasons between 2003 and 2007.

After he stopped playing footy, Mr Baxter — who referred to himself as an “ex NRL player” on his Instagram profile — pursued a career in fitness and he ran Integr8 gym with his partner.

On the gym’s website, Mr Baxter is described as “a recognised sportsman” and “one of the top fitness coaches in Brisbane”.

The site also claims Mr Baxter worked with NRL, AFL and Super Rugby clubs, “introducing them to functional body weight training”.

His social media accounts include photos of him with sports stars. Among them are pictures of Mr Baxter alongside All Black Nathan Harris and ex-Brisbane Broncos, Queensland and Kangaroos star Matt Gillett.

Mr Baxter also posted photos with WWE icon The Undertaker, former New Zealand rugby league captain Ruben Wiki and ex-Kiwi international Lance Hohaia.

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Rowan Baxter with former Brisbane Broncos player Matt Gillett.

Baxter posing for a photo alongside All Black Nathan Harris.

A relative of Ms Baxter and the three children killed in the horrific car fire says Mr Baxter was a “monster” the family had been desperately trying to escape.

The slain mother’s sister-in-law Stacey Roberts said Ms Baxter’s parents had “exhausted themselves” trying to “help Hannah escape this monster” and asked for donations to help cover funeral costs via a fundraiser set up overnight.

“As you may be aware my beautiful sister in-law and my nieces and nephew had their lives taken by a disgusting human being they called their father,” Ms Roberts wrote on the fundraising page, which had raised more than $5000 within hours of going live.

“For all those who knew Hannah or had even just met her once would know how much of a beautiful soul she was, her children were her life.

“All she ever wanted was happiness. Her children were only a reflection of her. Gorgeous, happy kids who held a massive piece in my heart and I’m sure many others because that’s exactly what they were like.

“We will miss them all more than anything.”

Detective Inspector Mark Thompson said it was too early to comment on how the fire started.

“How the fire actually occurred has not been ascertained at the moment, so for us to call it a murder-suicide or a tragic accident, it’s inappropriate at this stage,” he said.

“I’ve seen some horrific scenes — this is up there with some of the best of them.

“It’s a terrible thing to be presented with.”