Sam Backo, Raiders and Maroons legend, passed away at 64 after battling meliodosis.
An icon for the Canberra Raiders and Queensland Maroons, Sam Backo has tragically passed away at the age of 64 after a three-month battle with tropical soil disease meliodosis.
Admitted to Cairns Hospital in April, Backo passed away on Sunday, surrounded by his family and friends.
A seven-time representative for Queensland, Backo is remembered for his tenure at the Canberra Raiders, in which he played 114 matches for the club before making the move to the Brisbane Broncos, where he would play a further 20 games.
He also made six appearances for Australia in 1988 and 1989 and was named in the Rest of the World team in 1988.