NRL player Troy Dargan has died in the Cook Islands after crashing his motorcycle near Aitutaki airport, at around 1am on Christmas Eve.
Known as TJ, the 26-year-old was on holiday with his family.
Police spokesperson Trevor Pitt said Dargan was not wearing a helmet and suffered severe head trauma as well as other injuries.
"The person who had found him, found him to be unresponsive on the road, where he had crashed his motorbike into fencing by the Aitutaki airport," he said.
"He was obviously on his way home, at that stage back to his accommodation, when he was found and unfortunately, he passed away."
Motorcycle helmets in Aitutaki are not compulsory, unlike in Rarotonga.
"So drivers are not obligated legally to wear a helmet when they're on the motorbike. But in this case, he wasn't wearing a helmet and suffered a severe head trauma as well as other injuries." Pitt said.
Dargan had signed with the Raiders for the next NRL season after playing for Manly's NSW Cup affiliate Blacktown Workers six times in the 2023 season.