30 March 2026
North Sydney Bears NSW Cup player Noah Johannssen has died aged 22, with the club confirming his passing in a statement on March 29.
Johannssen had recently joined the Bears’ NSW Cup squad after previously playing with the Western Suburbs Magpies. He had not yet made his official debut for the club.
North Sydney Bears chief executive Gareth Holmes said Johannssen had made a strong impression in a short period with the organisation.
He described him as a “young man of great character” who made a “lasting impression” on the playing group.
“His loss is felt deeply across our playing group, staff, and wider Bears community,” Holmes said.
Johannssen was the younger brother of Tim Johannssen, who plays in the NRL for South Sydney Rabbitohs.
In a social media post, Tim Johannssen said: “I’ll always be attached to you bro and I’ll always be so glad for your existence and what you did for me, the man you made me be and everything I have today is because you were there for me.”
A GoFundMe page has been established to assist the family with funeral expenses and associated costs.