Jan 9th, 2018

Jan 9th, 2018

EXCLUSIVE: Kato Ottio’s desire to mentor his young Papua New Guinea teammates may have inadvertently led to the former Canberra Raider’s death today.

The league community is in shock after Ottio collapsed and died only days before being due to fly out and start a new career with English club Widnes.

The 23-year-old Ottio was in his homeland of Papua New Guinea and went on a gruelling eight kilometre run with fellow players from the Hunters Queensland Cup team.

“The run was over and a few of the boys walked back while others got a ride,” Ottio’s manager Steve Deacon told Wide World of Sports.

“But Kato told a few of the players ‘let’s run back’ - he wanted to use the professionalism he gained from his time at Canberra to rub off on his younger countrymen.

“He got slower and eventually collapsed. He was unconscious and in a coma and they were not able to revive him.

“He passed away early this morning - he was a great guy and I’m just devastated.”

Although he played little NRL, Ottio was popular with his Raiders team-mates.

“Shattered to hear the news about Katsy. Wasn’t a day he wasn’t smiling, gone way too soon. Prayers with all his family,” star playmaker Blake Austin posted to his Instagram account.