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Mark Carroll (rugby league)
Encyclopedia
Mark Carroll is an Australian former professional rugby league
footballer of the 1980s and 90s. A prop-forward, he represented Australia internationally and New South Wales in State of Origin and played club football for the Penrith Panthers
, South Sydney Rabbitohs
, Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
and London Broncos. After his retirement at the end of the 1999 season, Carroll went on to become a bodyguard for Russell Crowe
.
Carroll started out as a junior for Penrith
, and was a member of the club's 1987 reserve grade premiers. He found immediate success with Souths
in 1990, earning him a surprise selection as a reserve for the one-off Test against France
at Parkes, New South Wales
(having not yet played at State of Origin
level). At the end of the 1990 NSWRL season, he went on the 1990 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France
but made only six appearances due to a knee injury.
He moved to Manly in 1994, where his skill as a tough, attacking forward continued to improve, but despite being a shadow player for New South Wales and the Australian Test team, he failed to make a second Kangaroo Tour at the end of the year.
Carroll’s representative career gained a boost with the Super League
split in 1995 when he won a belated NSW jersey.
Despite being suspended for a tackle on David Furner
and missing the State of Origin match in Melbourne, he was selected for Australia to play against New Zealand. A member of Australia’s victorious World Cup
team in 1995, his appearances against New Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Rest of the World teams over the next two years boosted his Test total to 12 matches.
While Carroll obviously enjoyed playing in a stronger pack at Manly, three consecutive grand final appearances (1995–97) garnered just the one premiership success, in 1996.
At the end of 1997, he left Manly to play for the London Broncos but the move was not a success and he cited homesickness as the reason for his return.
Carroll re-joined Souths in 1999 and was an important part of the club’s early season resurgence. Recalled to rep football in the Second State of Origin match that year, he was knocked out in the series decider after a controversial tackle by Darren Smith.
Forced to retire at season’s end because of chronic knee injury, Carroll became a committed supporter of Souths’ reinstatement into the NRL
. In 2000, Carroll was awarded the Australian Sports Medal
for his contribution to Australia's international standing in rugby league. He has since gained some notoriety as the international bodyguard of actor Russell Crowe
.
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
footballer of the 1980s and 90s. A prop-forward, he represented Australia internationally and New South Wales in State of Origin and played club football for the Penrith Panthers
Penrith Panthers
The Penrith Panthers are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in the western Sydney suburb of Penrith. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, the top rugby league football competition in Australasia. For the 2012 NRL season they will be coached by Ivan...
, South Sydney Rabbitohs
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
, Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League's Telstra Premiership, the premier rugby league competition of Australasia...
and London Broncos. After his retirement at the end of the 1999 season, Carroll went on to become a bodyguard for Russell Crowe
Russell Crowe
Russell Ira Crowe is a New Zealander Australian actor , film producer and musician. He came to international attention for his role as Roman General Maximus Decimus Meridius in the 2000 historical epic film Gladiator, directed by Ridley Scott, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Actor, a...
.
Carroll started out as a junior for Penrith
Penrith Panthers
The Penrith Panthers are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in the western Sydney suburb of Penrith. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, the top rugby league football competition in Australasia. For the 2012 NRL season they will be coached by Ivan...
, and was a member of the club's 1987 reserve grade premiers. He found immediate success with Souths
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
in 1990, earning him a surprise selection as a reserve for the one-off Test against France
France national rugby league team
The France national rugby league team represent France in international rugby league tournaments. They are also sometimes referred to as "Les Tricolores" or more commonly "Les Chanticleers"...
at Parkes, New South Wales
Parkes, New South Wales
- Transport :Parkes has a local bus service provided by Western Road Liners, which acquired Harris Bus Lines in March 2006. The Indian Pacific also stops twice a week, as well as the Broken Hill Outback Xplorer service, run by CountryLink, which heads to Broken Hill on Mondays and Sydney on...
(having not yet played at State of Origin
Rugby League State of Origin
State of Origin is an annual best of three series of rugby league football matches contested by the Maroons and the Blues, who represent the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales respectively...
level). At the end of the 1990 NSWRL season, he went on the 1990 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France
1990 Kangaroo Tour of Great Britain and France
The 1990 Kangaroo Tour was the seventeenth Kangaroo Tour, where the Australian national rugby league team travelled to Europe and played eighteen matches against British and French rugby league teams, in addition to three Test matches...
but made only six appearances due to a knee injury.
He moved to Manly in 1994, where his skill as a tough, attacking forward continued to improve, but despite being a shadow player for New South Wales and the Australian Test team, he failed to make a second Kangaroo Tour at the end of the year.
Carroll’s representative career gained a boost with the Super League
Super League (Australia)
Super League was an Australian rugby league football administrative body that conducted professional competition in Australasia for one season in 1997. Along with Super League of Europe, it was created by News Corporation during the Super League war which arose following an unsuccessful attempt to...
split in 1995 when he won a belated NSW jersey.
Despite being suspended for a tackle on David Furner
David Furner
David Furner is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. He is the current head coach of the Canberra Raiders of the NRL...
and missing the State of Origin match in Melbourne, he was selected for Australia to play against New Zealand. A member of Australia’s victorious World Cup
Rugby League World Cup
The Rugby League World Cup is an international rugby league competition contested by members of the Rugby League International Federation . It has been held nearly once every 4 years on average since its inaugural tournament in France in 1954...
team in 1995, his appearances against New Zealand, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Rest of the World teams over the next two years boosted his Test total to 12 matches.
While Carroll obviously enjoyed playing in a stronger pack at Manly, three consecutive grand final appearances (1995–97) garnered just the one premiership success, in 1996.
At the end of 1997, he left Manly to play for the London Broncos but the move was not a success and he cited homesickness as the reason for his return.
Carroll re-joined Souths in 1999 and was an important part of the club’s early season resurgence. Recalled to rep football in the Second State of Origin match that year, he was knocked out in the series decider after a controversial tackle by Darren Smith.
Forced to retire at season’s end because of chronic knee injury, Carroll became a committed supporter of Souths’ reinstatement into the NRL
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
. In 2000, Carroll was awarded the Australian Sports Medal
Australian Sports Medal
The Australian Sports Medal was an award given during 2000 to recognise achievements in Australian sport.Recipients of the award included competitors, coaches, sports scientists, office holders, and people who maintained sporting facilities and services. Over 18,000 Medals were...
for his contribution to Australia's international standing in rugby league. He has since gained some notoriety as the international bodyguard of actor Russell Crowe
Russell Crowe
Russell Ira Crowe is a New Zealander Australian actor , film producer and musician. He came to international attention for his role as Roman General Maximus Decimus Meridius in the 2000 historical epic film Gladiator, directed by Ridley Scott, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Actor, a...
.