Mark Harris (rugby league)

{{Short description|Australian rugby league footballer (1947–2020)}}

{{Infobox rugby league biography

|name = Mark Harris

|fullname =

|image = Mark Harris, 2015 (cropped).jpg

|caption =Harris in 2015

|country =

|position = {{rlp|CE}}

|birth_date = {{birth date|1947|08|22|df=y}}

|birth_place = Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

|death_date= {{death date and age|2020|01|15|1947|08|22|df=y}}

|death_place=

|height =

|weight =

|club1 = Eastern Suburbs

|year1start = 1970

|year1end = 79

|appearances1 = 190

|tries1 = 88

|goals1 = 17

|fieldgoals1 = 0

|points1 = 298

|club2 = North Sydney

|year2start = 1980

|year2end = 81

|appearances2 = 33

|tries2 = 5

|goals2 = 3

|fieldgoals2 = 0

|points2 = 21

|module={{Infobox Canadian Football League biography

|embed=yes

| name = Mark Harris

| team =

| image =

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| position1 = Kickoff specialist

| number =

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| playing_years1 = 1973

| playing_team1 = Montreal Alouettes

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}}

|teamA = New South Wales

|yearAstart = 1970

|yearAend = 78

|appearancesA = 11

|triesA = 9

|goalsA = 0

|fieldgoalsA = 0

|pointsA = 27

|teamB = Australia

|yearBstart = 1970

|yearBend = 77

|appearancesB = 11

|triesB = 6

|goalsB = 0

|fieldgoalsB = 0

|pointsB = 18

|teamC = City NSW

|yearCstart = 1972

|yearCend = 77

|appearancesC = 4

|triesC = 6

|goalsC = 0

|fieldgoalsC = 0

|pointsC = 18

|updated =

|source = [http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/Mark-Harris/summary.html Mark Harris] rugbyleagueproject.org

|new = yes

}}

Mark Walter Harris (22 August 1947 – 15 January 2020) was an Australian professional rugby league footballer who played for the Eastern Suburbs (1970–79) and North Sydney (1980–81) clubs. He also represented the Montreal Alouettes in the Canadian Football League. A destructive hard running {{rlp|ce}}, Harris made 190 appearances for the Roosters and a further 33 for the Bears.

Playing career

A Brisbane junior, Harris was playing in Papua New Guinea for the Koni Tigers club when recruited into the NSWRFL Premiership by Sydney's Eastern Suburbs club. In a Fox Sports interview in 2019 just before his death, Harris said he was playing Rugby Union on the Sunshine Coast when recruited by Easts. Harris who was an instant success won the prestigious media award 'Rookie Of The Year' in his first season. He was selected to represent Australia in the 1970 Rugby League World Cup. In 1972 he won another prestigious award taking out the Sun-Herald player of the year award. He was also selected to represent Australia in the 1972 Rugby League World Cup. Harris played in just the one test match for Australia, that was against New Zealand in 1972.

=Gridiron football career=

Harris turned down a place on the 1973 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France to trial with an American football team, the Philadelphia Eagles. He failed to make the roster after he tried out as a kicker. After failing to get a contract, Harris played Canadian football for the Montreal Alouettes in the Canadian Football League. Harris played 7 matches as a long range kickoff specialist during the 1973 CFL season.[http://www.smh.com.au/sport/mark-harris-happy-public-have-not-burnt-nflbound-jarryd-hayne-20141018-1182o9.html Mark Harris happy public have not burnt NFL-bound Jarryd Hayne] smh.com.au, 18 October 2014[http://stats.cfldb.ca/team/montreal-alouettes/roster/1973/ Montreal Alouettes Player Roster for the 1973 Season] stats.cfldb.ca

=Return to rugby league=

Harris returned to the Roosters and was a member of some of Eastern Suburbs greatest teams, winning premierships with that club in 1974 and 1975. He was selected to represent Australia in the 1975 Rugby League World Cup. Harris was also a member of the 1974 and '77 pre-Season cup winning sides, the 1975 and '77 midweek cups. During the 1976 NSWRFL season, Harris played as a {{rlp|ce}} for Eastern Suburbs in their 1976 World Club Challenge match against British champions St. Helens in Sydney. He was selected to represent Australia in the 1977 Rugby League World Cup.

Harris played out the final years of his career with the North Sydney club.

Post-playing career

Harris was a member of the National Rugby League judiciary in 2000. He died on 15 January 2020 from throat cancer at the age of 72.[https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/rugby-league-legend-mark-harris-passes-away/ff603274-08f0-430a-89e8-75e9868bad84 NRL News: Former Roosters superstar Mark Harris loses cancer battle]