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 % | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
National Panasonic Cup | 12 | 1 | - | 1 | 4 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 75.00% | List | ||||
Tour Matches | Illawarra Firsts | 1 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.00% | List | |||
NSWRFL Premiership (NRL) | 81 | 23 | - | 3 | 72 | 38 | 40 | 3 | 46.91% | List | ||||
Interstate Matches | 2 | - | - | - | - | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
Craven Mild Cup | 9 | - | - | 1 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 77.78% | List | ||||
City vs Country Firsts | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100.00% | List | ||||
Tooheys Challenge Cup | 2 | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50.00% | List | ||||
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Australia - By Team | ||||||||||||||
Team | Years | App | T | G | GK % | FG | Pts | W | L | D | Win % | |||
Illawarra Firsts | 1974 | 2 | - | - | - | - | 0 | 2 | 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 | |||
Overall | 1974-1976 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | 5 | 4 | 0 | 55.56% | List | |||
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NSWRFL Premiership (NRL) - 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 | |||
South Sydney | 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 | |||
NSWRFL Premiership (NRL) - 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 | |||
South Sydney | 1977 | 18 | 4 | - | 1 | 13 | 2 | 16 | 0 | 11.11% | List | |||
Newtown | 1982 | 7 | 1 | - | - | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 42.86% | List | |||
Overall | 1975-1982 | 81 | 23 | 0 | 3 | 72 | 38 | 40 | 3 | 46.91% | List |
Contributions:
Greg Fiveash, Rugby League Tables, Andrew Ferguson, Shawn Dollin, Paul Carter, Alan Katzmann, AJ Lucantonio
Your Say
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.
07/09/2014
One of the best players & a good bloke as well
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
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.
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.!!!
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
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
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
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
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
29/10/2021
Had brief stints with Kurri Kurri and Umina in the early 80’s.
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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