We are deeply saddened that one of our rugby league whānau, Eugene Hanna of the Glenora Bears, has tragically passed away.  
 

First and foremost, we send our sincere condolences to his whānau, friends, teammates, and all who knew and loved Eugene in such a difficult time.  
 

This is truly heartbreaking and something we never want to see happen, ARL have been offering support to the family and all involved and will continue to work alongside our Clubs and NZRL through this.  
 

ARL places the utmost importance on player safety and welfare and work hard to prevent such tragic outcomes. We have rigorous head injury and concussion protocols in place and work with our rugby league community to ensure appropriate resources and education are provided year-round.  
 

We urge anyone who sustains a head injury or experiences any symptoms to follow the guidelines in place, seek the appropriate medical advice and treatment, and only return to play when advised and appropriate. 
 

You can find more concussion information and resources here: NZRL Concussion Policy

Article added: Thursday 14 May 2026