Rugby star dead at just 28
Queensland rugby league has been rocked after Michael Purcell sadly passed away on the morning of Sunday the 7th of August following a tragic car accident in Brisbane.
The talented winger-fullback had played a total of 82 games for the Ipswich Jets and Brisbane tigers, he was only 28-years-old and had stand-out talent.
Nicknamed “The Kangaroo Catcher” he was said to have once chased down a kangaroo during a race and was one of the fastest players in Queensland. His super speed led him to signing an NRL contract with the Melbourne Storm in 2021.
“I am shattered, it’s so, so sad,” said Ben Walker, Purcell’s former coach at the Ipswich Jets, to the Courier Mail. “He was a really talented kid who definitely had the ability to play NRL.
“We signed him to the Ipswich Jets and he ended up scoring 66 tries in 71 games. He had incredible speed.”
His death has deeply rocked the rugby league community with tributes flooding in following the devastating news.
Image: Twitter