Adam Watene, the 31-year-old Wakefield Wildcats prop forward, collapsed and died yesterday during a weights session. There will be a coroner’s inquest into his death, which left the club stunned and the British game mourning the loss of one of its most popular and respected players.

After the deaths this year of Don Fox and David Topliss, at 72 and 58 respectively, two of the greatest players to have represented the club, Watene’s unexplained collapse prompted renewed grief at Belle Vue, where he had played for the past three seasons and was held in affection. He is understood to have been training in the club’s gymnasium and lifting weights before the resumption of pre-season training when he collapsed.

It was only six months ago that Watene had been sent home to his native New Zealand on compassionate leave after the death of his father from a heart attack. John Kear, the Wildcats coach, dedicated his team’s victory over Huddersfield Giants in his absence to Watene and his family. His first game back was the “Millennium Magic” fixture in which he was a tryscorer in a 54-16 defeat of Castleford Tigers.

“The circumstances surrounding Adam’s death were sudden and unexpected. The thoughts of everyone at the Wildcats are with Adam’s family and we ask for their privacy to be respected at this difficult time,” the club said in a statement.

Watene, who is survived by his wife and two children, was active in Wakefield’s community projects and was a high-profile figure in the district as consort of the Deputy Mayor, Heather Hudson, since May.

“We are all devastated by Adam’s sudden death,” Hudson said. “He was a close family friend and I was proud to have him as my consort. It was a privilege to count him as a friend and he will be sadly missed by all who knew him. We are doing all we can to support his family at this very sad time.”

Paying tribute to Watene, Nigel Wood, the RFL chief executive, said: “Adam served a number of clubs with distinction during his career and will be sadly missed. During his time at Wakefield, he made a massive impression and was instrumental in helping the club to stay in the engage Super League in 2006. We are shocked and saddened to hear of his sudden death and send our sincere condolences to his family.”

A Cook Islands player, Watene joined Castleford from Burleigh Bears in Australia and was instrumental in their promotion to the Super League in 2005. He joined Bradford Bulls the next year but made only five first-team appearances before switching to Wakefield and immediately thriving under the direction of Kear. Watene’s cousin, Frank, plays for Halifax in the Co-operative National League One.

Peter Hood, the Bradford chairman, said: “It is always a tragedy when any young life is lost. Although he was not here for long, Adam became part of the extended Bulls family. We are deeply shocked and all our thoughts are with Adam’s family at this most difficult of times.”

Watene’s death was covered by a blanket RFL insurance policy that protects all players’ families in the event of death while under contract. There is a clause covering death by natural causes.