Mark Harris (rugby league footballer)
Encyclopedia
Mark Harris was an Australian rugby league
footballer who played for the Eastern Suburbs
(1970-79) and North Sydney
(1980-81) clubs.
A destructive hard running centre, Harris made 190 appearances for the Roosters
and a further 33 for the Bears
. A Brisbane
junior, Harris was playing in Papua New Guinea
for the Koni club when recruited by Eastern Suburbs. Harris was a member of some of Eastern Suburbs
greatest teams, winning premierships with that club in 1974 and 1975. Harris was also a member of the 1974 and '77 pre-Season cup winning sides, the 1975 and '77 midweek cups and the Roosters side that thrashed St Helens in the first World Club Challenge
ever held,in the 1976 season. Harris also won the prestigious media award 'Rookie Of The Year' in his first season, and in 1972 he won another prestigious award taking out the Sun-Herald
player of the year award. Harris played out the final years of his career with the North Sydney
club.
Harris trialled with the American Grid Iron team, the Philadelphia Eagles
, in the early part of his career, In 1973 Harris played with the Canadian'
Grid Iron side, Montreal Allouettes, a move that cost him a place on the Kangaroo tour
, and although successful he turned his back on the American game because he was only being used in the limited role of a long range kicker.
During the 1976 NSWRFL season, Harris played as a centre three-quarter back for Eastern Suburbs in their unofficial 1976 World Club Challenge
match against British champions St Helens RFC
in Sydney.
Harris played in just the one test match for Australia, that was against New Zealand in 1972, however he represented Australia in the 1970, 1972, 1975 & 77 World cups
.
Since his retrement the burly centre has taken on a role as a National Rugby League
judiciary member. It was said that, during his career, there was not a more fearsome sight, in rugby league for an opposition defender than seeing a rampaging Mark Harris heading in his direction.
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 who played for the Eastern Suburbs
Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
(1970-79) and North Sydney
North Sydney Bears
The North Sydney Bears are an Australian rugby league football club based in North Sydney, New South Wales. They currently compete in the New South Wales Cup, having exited the National Rugby League following the 1999 NRL season after 92 years of top-grade competition. The Bears are based on...
(1980-81) clubs.
A destructive hard running centre, Harris made 190 appearances for the Roosters
Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
and a further 33 for the Bears
North Sydney Bears
The North Sydney Bears are an Australian rugby league football club based in North Sydney, New South Wales. They currently compete in the New South Wales Cup, having exited the National Rugby League following the 1999 NRL season after 92 years of top-grade competition. The Bears are based on...
. A Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
junior, Harris was playing in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
for the Koni club when recruited by Eastern Suburbs. Harris was a member of some of Eastern Suburbs
Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
greatest teams, winning premierships with that club in 1974 and 1975. Harris was also a member of the 1974 and '77 pre-Season cup winning sides, the 1975 and '77 midweek cups and the Roosters side that thrashed St Helens in the first World Club Challenge
World Club Challenge
The World Club Challenge is an annual rugby league football match held between the champions of the Australasian National Rugby League and the European Super League competitions to determine the world's best rugby league club...
ever held,in the 1976 season. Harris also won the prestigious media award 'Rookie Of The Year' in his first season, and in 1972 he won another prestigious award taking out the Sun-Herald
Sun-Herald
Sun-Herald could refer to:* The Sun-Herald, the Sunday edition of The Sydney Morning Herald, a newspaper based in Sydney, Australia* The Sun Herald, a newspaper based in Biloxi, Mississippi...
player of the year award. Harris played out the final years of his career with the North Sydney
North Sydney Bears
The North Sydney Bears are an Australian rugby league football club based in North Sydney, New South Wales. They currently compete in the New South Wales Cup, having exited the National Rugby League following the 1999 NRL season after 92 years of top-grade competition. The Bears are based on...
club.
Harris trialled with the American Grid Iron team, the Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, in the early part of his career, In 1973 Harris played with the Canadian'
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
Grid Iron side, Montreal Allouettes, a move that cost him a place on the Kangaroo tour
Kangaroo Tour
Kangaroo Tour is the name given to Australian national rugby league team tours of Great Britain and France. The first Kangaroo Tour was in 1908. Traditionally, Kangaroo Tours took place every four years and involved a three-Test Ashes series against Great Britain and a number of tour matches...
, and although successful he turned his back on the American game because he was only being used in the limited role of a long range kicker.
During the 1976 NSWRFL season, Harris played as a centre three-quarter back for Eastern Suburbs in their unofficial 1976 World Club Challenge
1976 World Club Challenge
The inaugural World Club Challenge was actually an unofficial trial of the concept, with 1975 NSWRFL season premiers, Eastern Suburbs playing against 1975–76 Northern Rugby Football League season Challenge Cup winners St. Helens...
match against British champions St Helens RFC
St Helens RFC
St Helens Rugby League Football Club are a professional rugby league club from St Helens, Merseyside, North West England who play in the Super League. Nicknamed Saints, they were a founder member of the Northern Rugby Football Union. They have been league champions on 12 occasions and runners up...
in Sydney.
Harris played in just the one test match for Australia, that was against New Zealand in 1972, however he represented Australia in the 1970, 1972, 1975 & 77 World cups
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...
.
Since his retrement the burly centre has taken on a role as a National Rugby League
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...
judiciary member. It was said that, during his career, there was not a more fearsome sight, in rugby league for an opposition defender than seeing a rampaging Mark Harris heading in his direction.