Sharks’ Hamlin-Uele out to honour memory of Paul Green

Jasper Bruce | April 25, 2023

As he prepares to honour the memory of Paul Green, Cronulla prop Braden Hamlin-Uele is grateful to have reconciled with his former coach only days before the 49-year-old’s death.

The man of the match in Cronulla’s clash with North Queensland on Thursday will receive the inaugural Paul Green Medal, a tribute to the NRL great who took his own life last August.

Scans on Green’s brain revealed he had been suffering an advanced case of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a brain condition linked with repeated head trauma which can affect impulse control and decision-making.

Green’s death shook the rugby league world, and no clubs felt the loss more than the Sharks and Cowboys.

While playing for Cronulla in 1995, Green was voted NSW rugby league’s best-and-fairest. 

As a coach, he led the Cowboys to their first – and so far only – premiership in 2015.

Prior to his glory days with the Cowboys, Green was Hamlin-Uele’s under-20s coach at the Sydney Roosters in 2013.

Hamlin-Uele had left New Zealand as a teenager to chase his NRL dream and can distinctly recall his first training sessions with Green 10 years ago.

“Being a fresh kid from New Zealand and Paul Green’s your under-20s coach, you’re like ‘Holy hell, is this what all the coaches are like?’,” the talented forward said.

“(He was) in your face, not afraid to have hard conversations, and just loved footy.”

Hamlin-Uele followed Green to the Cowboys in 2015, earning his NRL debut two years later.

But the front-rower’s hubris meant he struggled to earn the trust of his coach.

“We probably didn’t see eye-to-eye on a lot of things,” Hamlin-Uele said.

“He was the coach who knew what he was talking about but I thought I knew everything. It probably didn’t allow me to build that good rapport with him.”

Eventually, Hamlin-Uele’s attitude became too much for Green, who cut him loose after only one NRL game. 

“I was never disappointed with Greeny’s decision to do that,” Hamlin-Uele said. 

“I was disappointed in myself because I made him make that decision.

“I didn’t allow him to change his mind and look at me and think, ‘He can actually be a long-term player here’. 

“That’s nothing to do with Greeny and all to do with me.”

Hamlin-Uele landed on his feet at Cronulla, where he has become a regular across 86 NRL games.

The 28-year-old reunited with Green when the coach returned to Shark Park for Old Boys Day in early August last year, less than a week before the former coach’s death.

The pair swapped stories from the Cowboys days, including Green’s decision to prescribe 5km rowing sessions for Hamlin-Uele after every training session.

“I was just grateful to be able to have a conversation with him as a friend, not a player and a coach,” Hamlin-Uele said.

“It was quite refreshing to be able to hash-out all the disagreements and move on. 

“He was the coach that allowed me to live out a childhood dream. 

“He showed trust and faith and belief in me to wear a Cowboys jersey. For that, I’ll be forever grateful.”

The chance to honour Green will give Hamlin-Uele extra motivation come Thursday night.

“He epitomised what this club is. Walking tall,” he said.

“Small in stature, but played with the biggest heart. That’s what we all aspire to do.

“He means a lot to both clubs.”