Mark Hughes (rugby league)
Encyclopedia
Mark Hughes is an Australian former professional rugby league
footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. He played club football for the Newcastle Knights
in the Australian National Rugby League
(NRL) and later for the Catalans Dragons
in the European Super League
. He primarily played at fullback or in the centres.
victory over Manly
in the 1997 Optus Cup final. He subsequently shifted to the centres and enjoyed a second premiership title with the Knights in 2001
.
Injuries hampered Hughes' later career and limited his representative appearances. At the end of 2005 he left the Knights to join French club Les Catalans
for the 2006 European Super League
season.
In 2010 he was named fullback of Kurri Rugby League Club's team of the century.
where he played at fullback.
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 1990s and 2000s. He played club football for the Newcastle Knights
Newcastle Knights
The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
in the Australian 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...
(NRL) and later for the Catalans Dragons
Catalans Dragons
The Catalans Dragons are a French professional rugby league club based in Perpignan, Pyrénées-Orientales. They currently play in the Super League, and are the only team in the competition from outside of the United Kingdom...
in the European Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
. He primarily played at fullback or in the centres.
Club career
Hughes played for the Kurri Kurri Bulldogs in their 1995 grand final victory. He then joined the Newcastle Knights and in his debut season he was on the wing in Newcastle's maiden Grand FinalGrand Final
Grand Final is a predominantly Australian sport term used to describe a match that decides a league champion.It originated in Victoria and South Australia and has become specifically significant Australian culture...
victory over Manly
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...
in the 1997 Optus Cup final. He subsequently shifted to the centres and enjoyed a second premiership title with the Knights in 2001
National Rugby League season 2001
The 2001 NRL season was the 94th season of professional rugby league football in Australia and the fourth run by the National Rugby League. The Newcastle Knights claimed their second premiership in five seasons, defeating minor premiers Parramatta Eels in the first ever night-time grand...
.
Injuries hampered Hughes' later career and limited his representative appearances. At the end of 2005 he left the Knights to join French club Les Catalans
Catalans Dragons
The Catalans Dragons are a French professional rugby league club based in Perpignan, Pyrénées-Orientales. They currently play in the Super League, and are the only team in the competition from outside of the United Kingdom...
for the 2006 European Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
season.
In 2010 he was named fullback of Kurri Rugby League Club's team of the century.
Representative career
Hughes was selected for all three games for the New South Wales Blues in the 2001 Origin series2001 Rugby League State of Origin series
The 2001 State of Origin series was the 20th year that the annual best-of-three series of interstate rugby league football matches contested between the Queensland and New South Wales representative teams was played under 'State of Origin' selection rules...
where he played at fullback.
Career highlights
- First Grade Debut: 1997 - Round 9, Newcastle Knights v Gold Coast ChargersGold Coast ChargersGold Coast were a professional Rugby league football club which played in the New South Wales Rugby League premiership from 1988 to 1994, the Australian Rugby League premiership from 1995 to 1997, and the National Rugby League premiership in 1998...
at Gold Coast StadiumCarrara StadiumCarrara Stadium is a sporting venue on the Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia, located in the suburb of Carrara....
, 3 May. He scored a try on debut. - Representative selection: 2001, State of Origin
- Premierships: 1997, Newcastle Knights defeated Manly-Warringah Sea EaglesManly-Warringah Sea EaglesThe 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...
22–16 and 2001, Newcastle Knights defeated Parramatta EelsParramatta EelsThe Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League...
30–24.