AFL great Paul Dear dies at 55 leaving his wife and four children devastated – as tributes pour in from around Australia

Legendary footballer Paul Dear died at the age of 55 on Friday evening 

Norm Smith medallist lost a two-year battle with pancreatic cancer 

Teammates, friends and former clubs have rushed to pay tribute to the great

Dear’s wife Cherie detailed husband’s last day and praised his peaceful nature

Hawthorn Football Club is deeply saddened to learn the passing of premiership player Paul Dear,’ a statement from the club read.

‘The club extends its sincere condolences to Paul’s family and friends. He was a loving husband and proud father to four children he adored immensely.’

Dear’s cemented his legendary status at the club playing 123 games for Hawthorn during a nine-year career spanning from 1987 to 1996.

‘Arguably his greatest moment in the brown and gold came on Grand Final day 1991, helping drag the Hawks to premiership glory,’ said his old club on Saturday.

A Bay of Plenty rugby league player has died after suffering a brain injury during a weekend game.

Pāpāmoa Bulldogs rugby league player Tere Livingstone was critically injured on the field on June 10 during a shield competition match at Mitchell Park, Tauranga.

A person close to the family told Stuff that Livingstone was formally pronounced dead yesterday at Waikato hospital. Scans had revealed a major brain injury and despite surgery, a series of tests revealed his body and brain had not recovered.

“It’s so very, very sad. The family are obviously so devastated but the level of support from friends and the community has been mind-blowing. It shows what sort of man Tere was.”

Details for the tangi were still being arranged, as Livingstone was still at Waikato Hospital in Hamilton, but it would be at Akerama Marae, Towai, Northland, at the weekend, the person said.

Chief executive of Coastline Rugby League, Stan Bunny Nicholas, said that they had received “the devastating news” yesterday that Livingstone had died.

”The brave warrior fought for five days against all odds.”

Bay of Plenty teams would start off the season’s games this Saturday in Rotorua with “a minute of silence for our fallen brother”, he said.

”We send our aroha and condolences to the whānau and Pāpāmoa Bulldogs as Tere embarks on his new journey to Hawaiki nui.”

New Zealand Rugby League chief executive, Greg Peters, said a full investigation into the incident was underway.

“We are deeply saddened by the extremely tragic incident that occurred at Mitchell Park over the weekend with Pāpāmoa player Tere Livingstone.”

On the day he was injured, Livingstone was part of the Pāpāmoa Bulldogs senior men’s team, competing in a round-robin format for the 2023 Coastline District Rugby League Werohia Shield, against current titleholders Ōtūmoetai Eels.

A witness said it had been “tough to see.”

Livingstone’s partner, Chloe, with whom he had a young son, was “utterly broken, torn in two,” she told the community in a heartbreaking message.

“You were the most generous, warm-hearted person on this earth. The most doting father to our son … I will miss you every minute for the rest of my life.”