Former Parramatta Eels and Cronulla Sharks player Karl Lovell has died at 48 after a battle with lung cancer.
The New Zealand-born forward is survived by his wife Megan and their two daughters.
Lovell made his NRL debut for Parramatta in 1997, lining up against North Sydney when he was just 19 years old. Across two seasons with the Eels, he played 37 matches and was a key part of their finals campaigns in 1997 and 1998.
His career later moved to England, where he played for Sheffield and the short-lived Huddersfield-Sheffield merger team.
Lovell came back to Australia in 2001 to join the Northern Eagles, before bringing his NRL career to a close with the Cronulla Sharks. In 2002, he helped Cronulla reach a preliminary final, where the club was beaten by the Warriors.
After stepping away from professional rugby league, Lovell returned to his junior club, the Toukley Hawks, where he devoted himself to mentoring people in the local community.
“The Toukley Hawks community are deeply saddened to hear that one of our own, Karl Lovell passed away yesterday, after a brave battle with cancer in recent times,” the statement said.
