View source for Mark Protheroe

{{Short description|Australian rugby league footballer}}
{{Distinguish|Mark Prothero}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
|name           = Mark Protheroe
|fullname       = Mark Protheroe
|image          = 
|caption        = 
|birth_date     = {{Birth date and age|1971|03|05|df=y}}
|birth_place    = [[Brisbane]], [[Queensland]], [[Australia]]
|height         = {{convert|181|cm|ftin|abbr=on}}
|weight         = {{convert|91|kg|stlb|abbr=on}}
|position       = {{rlp|WG|SR}}
|club1          = [[Sydney Roosters|Eastern Suburbs]]
|year1start     = 1991
|year1end       = 95
|appearances1   = 89
|tries1         = 28
|goals1         = 0
|fieldgoals1    = 0
|points1        = 112
|club2          = [[South Queensland Crushers|South Qld Crushers]]
|year2start     = 1996
|year2end       = 97
|appearances2   = 34
|tries2         = 5
|goals2         = 0
|fieldgoals2    = 0
|points2        = 20
|source         = <ref>[http://www.rugbyleagueproject.com/players/Mark_Protheroe.html Rugby League Project]</ref><ref>[http://www.yesterdayshero.com.au/PlayerProfile_Mark-Protheroe_11112.aspx Yesterday's Hero]</ref>
}}

'''Mark Protheroe''' (born 5 March 1971) is an Australian former professional [[rugby league]] footballer who played in the 1990s. He played most of his career at the [[Sydney Roosters|Eastern Suburbs Roosters]], but he also played for [[South Queensland Crushers]]. He started his career on the {{rlp|wg}}, but he later shifted to the forwards playing mostly in the {{rlp|sr}}.<ref name="Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org">{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/mark-protheroe/summary.html|title=Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org|publisher=rugbyleagueproject.org|date=31 December 2017|accessdate=1 January 2018}}</ref>

==Playing career==
A Brisbane junior, Protheroe started his rugby league career in 1990 playing for [[Queensland Rugby League|QRL]] side [[Redcliffe Dolphins]] in the [[Brisbane Rugby League premiership|Brisbane competition]]. In 1991, Protheroe along with Redcliffe coach [[Mark Murray (rugby league)|Mark Murray]] were signed by the [[Sydney Roosters|Eastern Suburbs Roosters]]. Protheroe made his first grade debut in his sides' 16-10 loss to arch rivals the [[South Sydney Rabbitohs]] at the [[Sydney Football Stadium (1988)|Sydney Football Stadium]] in the opening round of the 1991 season. Despite a poor season from the Roosters in which they finished in 11th position, Protheroe had a brilliant rookie season, he played in 20 of his sides' 22 games and scored 7 tries. Protheroe narrowly missed out on winning the [[Dally M Awards|Dally M]] award for Rookie of the Year. Instead [[Will Robinson (rugby league)|Will Robinson]] of the [[Balmain Tigers]] won the award.

More success followed Protheroe in the 1992 season, despite the Roosters narrowly missing out on finals qualification for the first time since 1987, finishing in 6th position, Protheroe starred, playing in all 22 games and scoring 6 tries. For his efforts, Protheroe was considered for the [[Queensland rugby league team|Queensland]] side in the 1992 [[State of Origin series]], however Protheroe ultimately missed out on selection when [[Adrian Brunker]] and [[Michael Hancock (rugby league)|Michael Hancock]] were instead chosen as the wingers. Protheroe played his first match in the forwards when he was chosen at second-row in round 17 of the 1993 season, he would play most of his later career in this position. After disappointing seasons in 1993, 1994, and 1995 in which the Roosters finished 8th, 14th, and 9th respectively, Protheroe decided to leave the Roosters at the end of the 1995 season and returned to Brisbane.<ref name="rl1908">{{cite web |url=http://www.rl1908.com/Clubs/Sydney-Roosters.htm |title=Sydney Roosters (Eastern Suburbs) |publisher=RL1908.com |accessdate=15 August 2006 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20061021080326/http://www.rl1908.com/Clubs/Sydney-Roosters.htm |archivedate=21 October 2006 |df=dmy-all}}</ref>

In 1996, after five seasons in Sydney with the Roosters, Protheroe returned to Brisbane, this time to play for the [[South Queensland Crushers]]. He along with fellow Roosters [[Nigel Gaffey]], [[Jason Hudson (rugby league)|Jason Hudson]], [[Graham Mackay]] and [[Clinton O'Brien]] joined the ill-fated Crushers. Despite having a relatively strong playing roster which included these players as well as former Origin players [[Terry Cook (rugby league, born 1965)|Terry Cook]], [[Trevor Gillmeister]] and [[Tony Hearn (rugby league)|Tony Hearn]], the Crushers finished with the wooden spoon in both the 1996 and 1997 seasons. With the demise of the Crushers at the end of the 1997 season, Protheroe decided to retire from playing. He finished his career having played 123 games and scoring 33 tries.<ref name="history">{{cite book | author=[[Alan Whiticker|Whiticker, Alan]] & Collis, Ian | title= The History of Rugby League Clubs | publisher=New Holland Publishers (Australia) Pty Ltd | year=2004| isbn=1-74110-075-5}}</ref> After the demise of the Crushers, Protheroe would play one final season with [[Queensland Cup]] side [[Norths Devils]] in 1998, before retiring for good at season's end. The Devils won their first First Grade premiership since 1980 beating [[Wests Panthers]] in the Grand Final.<ref>[http://queensland.rleague.com/clubs/norths.php Queensland Rugby League]</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

{{Norths Devils squad - 1998 Queensland Cup premiers}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Protheroe, Mark}}
[[Category:1971 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Australian people of Welsh descent]]
[[Category:Australian rugby league players]]
[[Category:Redcliffe Dolphins players]]
[[Category:Sydney Roosters players]]
[[Category:South Queensland Crushers players]]
[[Category:20th-century Australian sportsmen]]
[[Category:Norths Devils players]]
[[Category:Rugby league wingers]]
[[Category:Rugby league second-rows]]
[[Category:Rugby league players from Brisbane]]