Footy great Carl Webb dies aged just 42 after four-year battle with motor neurone disease – leaving rugby league in mourning
- Played for Broncos, Cowboys and Eels
- Was a feared enforcer for Queensland and Australia
- Fought to the end after developing MND
NRL enforcer Carl Webb has died aged just 42 after a four-year battle with motor neurone disease.
Webb died on Thursday evening after a courageous battle against the incurable condition, which affects the brain and nervous system.
Webb played 12 games for the Queensland Maroons, marking his debut with a try in the iconic 2001 series, a pivotal moment in a Wayne Bennett-led transformation that left a formidable NSW team in turmoil.
The attacker was a well-liked, funny and fascinating man off the field, but a feared enforcer. He had a stellar career with the Brisbane Broncos and North Queensland Cowboys before ending up at Parramatta.
Carl Webb, pictured training with the Queensland Maroons, has died aged 42 from ALS
Webb leaves behind a legacy of being a much-loved but tough rugby league man who fought to the end
He was a Queensland and Australian representative who bled for his jersey before facing his own health problems in retirement.
Webb had made the Maroons his own, playing for the Broncos for four years before making the shock decision to move north to play for ‘little brother’ North Queensland Cowboys.
The Cowboys had by then become known as a retirement home for washed-up players, a reputation Webb shattered when he helped the side to a first major final in 2005.
While Johnathan Thurston was hailed as the signing who turned the Cowboys around, Webb was just as important at the time and established himself as a cult hero.
A close friend praised Webb for his toughness both on and off the field after news of his death emerged on Friday.
“Carl was an absolute wrecking ball… the person I once thought of as Mike Tyson,” he said.
Webb was a fierce competitor and enjoyed playing for his beloved Queensland Maroons
Webb left the Brisbane Broncos to join the Cowboys and played a leading role in turning the club from strugglers into a powerhouse that reached their first grand final in 2005.
A host of rugby league legends, including Matt Bowen, Petero Civoniceva, Greg Inglis, Lote Tuquri and cricketer Chris Lynn, came together for a charity match in October to raise money for the Carl Webb Foundation.
They played against a team that included Todd Carney, Greg Bird, Will Chambers, David Peachey and former UFC star Mark Hunt.
“Looking forward to running with these legends tomorrow,” Carney wrote at the time.
Tributes poured in from rugby league fans around the world.
Vale Carl Webb. 42 years young. Gone too fast. Motor neurone disease is such a cruel and insidious disease. Thoughts and prayers to his loved ones and his many friends in the rugby league community. Rest in peace big Charlie,” one person posted.
“Absolutely heartbreaking news of the passing of Carl Webb after a courageous battle with MND,” another added.
Another heartbroken fan wrote: ‘My heart sank when I heard the Carl Webb news. Way too young. REST IN PEACE.’
Before becoming a rugby league star, Webb was also a promising boxer with an undefeated amateur record and was a national Golden Gloves champion.
Behind the scenes in North Queensland, Webb worked diligently with renowned NRL conditioner and former professional boxing champion Billy Johnstone.