Les Mara

  • Playing Career

Playing Career

Biography

Nuggetty Balmain junior won a Frank Hyde 2SM award in 1973 for the Under 23s’ player voted ‘most likely’ to benefit from a playing stint in England. Mara guested with St Helens but played with Thirroul on his return and represented I’warra against Great Britain. A robust five-eighth who later shifted to halfback, Mara returned to Balmain in 1975 and represented NSW in consecutive years (1975-76). After touring NZ with a Combined Sydney team in 1976, he joined Souths but the move was not a success and he returned to the Tigers for two more seasons. Mara attempted a brief comeback with Newtown in 1982.
- ALAN WHITICKER

Playing Career Statistics

All statistics shown in this section are based only on data available in the RLP database, and are not necessarily a complete and/or 100% accurate representation of a player's career. This information should be used as a guide only. If you see a question mark (?), it denotes that the figure is not available.

To view a list of corresponding matches, click on the List button.

Competitions

Competition   App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Tour Matches Illawarra Firsts 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
NRL 81 23 -   3 72 38 40 3 46.91% List
Interstate Matches 2 - -   - - 2 0 0 100.00% List
City vs Country Firsts 1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List


Representative

Australia - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Illawarra Firsts 1974 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
NSW Firsts 1975-76 2 - -   - - 2 0 0 100.00% List
Combined Sydney 1976 4 - -   - - 2 2 0 50.00% List
NSW City Firsts 1976 1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List
Overall1974-1976 8 0 0   0 - 5 3 0 62.50% List


Club Career

NRL/NSWRL - By Year

Team Season App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Balmain NSWRFL 1975 12 3 -   - 9 6 5 1 50.00% List
Balmain NSWRFL 1976 17 6 -   1 19 11 6 0 64.71% List
Souths NSWRFL 1977 18 4 -   1 13 2 16 0 11.11% List
Balmain NSWRFL 1978 10 2 -   1 7 5 5 0 50.00% List
Balmain NSWRFL 1979 17 7 -   - 21 11 5 1 64.71% List
Newtown NSWRFL 1982 7 1 -   - 3 3 3 1 42.86% List

NRL/NSWRL - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Balmain 1975-76, 1978-79 56 18 -   2 56 33 21 2 58.93% List
Souths 1977 18 4 -   1 13 2 16 0 11.11% List
Newtown 1982 7 1 -   - 3 3 3 1 42.86% List
Overall1975-1982 81 23 0   3 72 38 40 3 46.91% List

Your Say

  • Anonymous
    04/01/2012

    Les Mara kicked a winning field goal (8-7) for Newtown v Balmain at old Henson Park, probably 1982, I am certain of this.

  • Anonymous
    07/09/2014

    One of the best players & a good bloke as well

  • Anonymous
    17/05/2017

    I met les recently at Cessnock correctional centre centre where he works for corrective service industries in the furniture division
    We had a long talk over a number of days and a nicer person u would not meet
    Very articulate and knowledgable
    He has served his time and should be granted early release
    U see some of the lenient sentences today
    He does not deserve to be stuck there for another 2 years
    He could do a lot of good talking to people about what happened to him

  • John
    25/05/2018

    Would never have survived in the holier than thou NRL. Les was a thief when not playing football. He later was sentenced to 20 years in gaol.

  • Anonymous
    16/02/2019

    I met Les at silver water jail very nice bloke to talk to,his done a mistake and his done his time and he should be released now.!!!

  • PetervRoe
    04/12/2019

    I was a mate of Les when he played at St Helens in England (I played for Bradford Northern).. grand lad ...made a mistake..i work currently in the British criminal justice system...his talents could be used in a positive way. Yes he has to be punished but everyone has his/her strong points.

    Good luck Les when you are released

    Peter Roe

  • Peter Rie
    06/06/2020

    Les was a mate of mine when he played football in England....there are worse people walking the streets...second chance city is the next part of his life on release

    Peter Roe

  • Les
    10/06/2020

    I new Les when he played for Balmain & he was always courteous & friendly towards me, I was surprised when I found out what paths he followed after Rugby League. I vividly remember that he was an accomplished boxer & help train fighters in Jeff Fenecks gym. I would definitely say hello to him if I met him in the street but would doubt if he remembers me regards Les

  • Sydwazza
    27/07/2020

    In regards to John’s comment, yes he was a theif but not a petty theif, just the big jobs off ships etc etc

  • Robert Young
    13/01/2021

    Les Mara is one of my best friends and a real down to earth bloke Les was a great rugby league player fantastic 5/8 defence and great attacking skills Les played for South Sydney Newtown Jets and his beloved Balmain tigers

  • Ed
    29/10/2021

    Had brief stints with Kurri Kurri and Umina in the early 80’s.

  • Anonymous
    23/02/2023

    I saw Les play many times and he was pretty good. I was disappointed to learn of the path he took after footy but hopefully he'll use his time on the outside to speak to young people who are on the wrong path.

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Contributions: Greg Fiveash, Rugby League Tables, Andrew Ferguson, Shawn Dollin, Paul Carter, Alan Katzmann, AJ Lucantonio