We are saddened to inform you of the death of ex-hornet Mark Harrigan. Mark was with Hornets for the 1986/87 season and joined the club with fellow Australian Gerry Byron. Mark scored a try on his debut against Bramley and was a very popular player who went onto finish high up on the supporters' player of the season rankings.
Kenneth MARK HARRIGAN : Age 40
"Tom Thumb" of Sydney's Rugby League
Known as "PATCH"
Doing what he loved doing, camping and fishing with family and friends.
Tragically lost his life in a boating accident, in his home town area, at Carrathool.
Daddy to Kenny (3) and Robbie (2)
Precious "BOOF" to his wife, Honey
Beloved Son to Ken and Barbara
Favourite Brother to Greg and Shelly and Loving Uncle to their families.
Deeply mourned by both the Harrigan and Rhodes families.
Known by so many, loved and missed by all.
The final whistle blew.
Game over Red Rover.
Mr. "Too easy" has left the ground.
Mark Harrigan remembered
Rugby League players have to go some to make an impact in one season -
especially if they only play for a club for one season. In the last 20 years
there have been a few exceptional players to have pulled on the red, white
and blue jersey. Cowboy Dean Lonergan and John Woods successfully ingrained
themselves in Hornets' supporters memories in the space of just 30 games in
1989.
But before them came Mark Harrigan and, during the 1986/87 season, he carved
for himself a special niche in Hornets folklore.
He was a nuggety little fullback, signed I think from Manly, and his 'moment'
came in a game against Blackpool Borough at Borough Park. In a particularly
nasty game, he'd been the victim of a brutal tackle that left his face cut
and his eye almost closed. He was taken from the field for treatment and
stitches. The ref chose not to see the incident.
As Mark walked off past us, he looked a real mess and we expected that
to be the last we'd see of him in the game. Amazingly, with about quarter
of an hour to go, he emerged from the tunnel, freshly stitched, bandaged and
with his eye swollen, badly bruised and fully shut. He all but insisted on
going back on the field. Five minutes into his return, the prop that had
executed the head tackle on Mark broke the defence and found himself in open
field with only Harrigan between him and the tryline. Harrigan stood his
ground, almost daring the prop to step him. The prop dodged left and, instead
of tackling him, Mark Harrigan produced quite the most exquisite straight
arm tackle I've ever seen. The prop's head stayed put, his legs flew parallel
to the ground and with a sickening grunt he hit the deck spark out.
Harrigan didn't even wait for the ref. He walked straight past the prostrate
prop and, smiling, straight down the tunnel with the wild applause of the
Hornets fans ringing in his ears.
Whilst not condoning deliberate violence, it was the most perfectly executed
and most deserved piece of on-field retribution I've ever seen.
And it was typical of Mark Harrigan's style. Whilst not the biggest of Rugby
League players he showed courage above his physical stature and for that
season stood a stubborn last line in a frequently punctured Hornets defence.
And then he was gone.
One season of solid, hardworking graft surmounted by a moment of extreme
courage. Bigger players would have called it a day that afternoon at Borough
Park, but Mark Harrigan had unfinished business and dragged himself back out
there to balance the slate.
We know that he did it for himself - to show that, despite his size, you
couldn't mess with him. But that he did it in a Hornets jersey makes him a
bona fide Hornets folk hero, remembered always for what we still speak of,
admiringly, as "THAT Mark Harrigan tackle".
So, in a way, he did it for all of us too.
Our condolences go to his family.
 This is what a programme from the time had to say : Born in Mareeba (Queensland) on 25th April 1961, Mark has much in common with Gerry.
He doesn't like being 'skint' either, but he is a little more likely to be because he likes a gamble (and a game of golf). He first started playing at 9 years old for the Junior Club Mareeba Easts, and at 14 joined
Griffith Warar-tahs where he eventually turned professional at 16 and played first grade.
In 1983 he moved to the Sydney League playing for Canterbury for one season, and then met up with Gerry at the Western Suburbs, staying for three years.
His ambition to visit England has been realised and he has enjoyed every minute of it.
At home he works as a sales representative.
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