Kyle White, a tough no-nonsense Australian forward who played for Workington Town, has died at the age of 53.
Known and admired in his native Australia for his fierce style of play, White has suffered from personal issues since retiring from rugby league.
White, from Sydney, had started his career as a nine-year-old with the Guildford club which was coached by Aussie great Brett Kenny.
He was awarded a Rugby League scholarship and played for three years with the Australian Schoolboys before joining Canterbury Bulldogs.
In two seasons there he played 17 times, with eight substitute appearances and scored four tries.
He joined Western Suburbs in 1992 where his younger brother Josh was an outstanding half-back. He played 11 times, three more as a sub and scored one try.
White was brought to England by Workington coach and fellow Aussie Peter Walsh, making an eye-catching debut against St Helens in September 1994.
He went on to start 21 First Division games for the club, with one more from the bench before returning home at the end of the season.
He returned to England in 1997 and joined Widnes where he played 47 times in two seasons and his final club in the UK was Lancashire Lynx for whom he appeared eight times, four of them from the bench.
As well as rugby league, White was also a talented water skier. Not quite good enough for international honours he was a fitness trainer for the Australian team at a World Cup event.
His brother Josh wrote on Facebook: “It’s with a very heavy heart that I inform everyone that my brother Kyle passed away on Tuesday morning.
“As most people know he has been dealing with some issues of late but it doesn’t make it any easier.”
“He was my idol growing up and we played at all the same NRL clubs and were inseparable through our younger years. Hopefully he finds peace now and the hurting has stopped. He was a tough player on the field and knew how to have a good time off it.
“We have had a lot of ups and downs over the years but he is my brother and (I) will always love him.”
Over a 10-year career in the 1990s, White played first grade for the Canterbury Bulldogs, Western Suburbs Magpies and Illawarra Steelers.
White gained a cult following for his crunching tackles, which saw him successfully take on players far greater in size and weight.
White suffered from personal struggles following his retirement, with his family pleading for help after he was reported missing in 2019.
He was eventually found wandering the streets of Warwick in Queensland’s south-east.
Following the announcement of his death, many of his former clubs have shared tributes in his memory.
Workington Town said the club’s “thoughts are with his family and friends” in a short statement.
“We’re so sorry to hear of the passing of Kyle White. Kyle was a fearsome sight with and without the rugby ball and a great character to have around the club. Many opposition players will have felt that feeling of running into a brick wall,” the statement read.
Widnes spoke of how popular he was with fans while playing for the Vikings.
“The club sends its condolences to his brother Josh – the former London Broncos and Salford half-back – and to all of Kyle’s family and friends,” the Widnes Vikings wrote in a statement.
“He will be remembered as a mobile forward who hit hard in defence and who was a popular figure in Widnes both on and off the field, having had a stint as the licensee of Kelly’s pub in the town.”