{{short description|Australian rugby league footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=May 2023}} {{Use Australian English|date=July 2013}} {{Infobox rugby league biography |name = Mark Tookey |fullname = Mark Tookey |image = Mark Tookey.JPG |image_size = 170 |caption = |imagesize = |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1977|03|09|df=yes}} |birth_place = Paddington, New South Wales, Australia |height = {{convert|183|cm|ftin|abbr=on}} |weight = {{convert|115|kg|stlb|abbr=on}} |position = {{Rlp|PR}} |club1 = South Qld Crushers |year1start = 1996 |year1end = 97 |appearances1 = 18 |tries1 = 3 |goals1 = 0 |fieldgoals1 = 0 |points1 = 12 |club2 = Parramatta Eels |year2start = 1998 |year2end = 99 |appearances2 = 40 |tries2 = 4 |goals2 = 0 |fieldgoals2 = 0 |points2 = 16 |club3 = {{nowrap|New Zealand Warriors}} |year3start = 2000 |year3end = 04 |appearances3 = 67 |tries3 = 9 |goals3 = 0 |fieldgoals3 = 0 |points3 = 36 |club4 = Castleford Tigers |year4start = 2004 |year4end = |appearances4 = 10 |tries4 = 1 |goals4 = 0 |fieldgoals4 = 0 |points4 = 4 |club5 = London Broncos |year5start = 2005 |year5end = 06 |appearances5 = 56 |tries5 = 6 |goals5 = 0 |fieldgoals5 = 0 |points5 = 24 |retired = yes |source =<ref>[http://www.rugbyleagueproject.com/players/Mark_Tookey.html RLP]</ref><ref>[http://203.166.101.37/NRL08/playercareer.asp?lplayer=374 NRL Stats]{{dead link|date=June 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> }}
'''Mark Tookey''' (born 9 March 1977) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990 and 2000s. He played as a {{rlp|pr}} in Australia for the South Queensland Crushers and the Parramatta Eels as well as the New Zealand Warriors. Tookey then played in the Super League for the Castleford Tigers and the Harlequins RL.
==Background== Tookey was born in Paddington, New South Wales and raised in Brisbane, Queensland, playing his junior rugby league for Logan Brothers and Springwood Tigers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newtownjets.com/flashback-friday-mark-tookey/|title=Flashback Friday – Mark Tookey|website=Newtown Jets}}</ref> In 1994, he represented the Queensland under-17 side.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://18thman.com/representative/under-17s-origin/1994-2/|title=Under 17 Origin 1994|website=18thman.com}}</ref>
==Playing career== Tookey commenced his premiership playing career with the South Queensland Crushers debuting during the 1996 ARL season. That season he represented the Queensland under-19 side.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://18thman.com/representative/under-19s-origin/1996-2/|title=Under 19 Origin 1996|website=18thman.com}}</ref> He then moved to the Parramatta Eels and later joined the Auckland Warriors. He played for the Warriors at prop forward in their 2002 NRL Grand Final loss to the Sydney Roosters.
In 2004 Tookey started playing in the Super League for English club the Castleford Tigers, later moving to the London Broncos/Harlequins RL.
==Post-playing== Following to his retirement as a player, Tookey was in 2009 the assistant coach of the Tongan side.<ref>New Zealand Rugby League, ''The 2009 Kiwis'' (Auckland, Sentra Printing 2009) p.35</ref> He later worked as a Development Officer for the Canberra Raiders with their associated club Souths Logan Magpies.<ref name="renegades">{{cite web|url=http://renegadesfs.com/index.php/nrl/nrl-news/item/387-meeting-mark-tookey|title=Meeting Mark Tookey|publisher=Renegades Fantasy Sports|date=17 September 2014|accessdate=26 January 2016}}{{Dead link|date=July 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
Tookey ran as an independent candidate in Division 5 in the 2016 Logan City Council election,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/questnews/logan/former-nrl-hardman-mark-tookey-to-join-mal-meninga-and-glenn-lazarus-in-moving-into-politics/news-story/f41c7268691fab2acaa09dc43850c4f7|title=Former NRL hardman Mark Tookey to join Mal Meninga and Glenn Lazarus in moving into politics|newspaper=Courier Mail|date=6 August 2015|accessdate=26 January 2016}}</ref><ref name="Tookey 20160126">{{cite web|url=http://www.marktookey.com.au/index.php|title=Mark Tookey for Councillor|publisher=His own website|accessdate=26 January 2016}}{{Dead link|date=November 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> which was being held on 19 March.
In November 2018, Tookey played for Parramatta in the Legends of League tournament held in Gosford. The side was captained by Nathan Hindmarsh and made it to the preliminary final before being defeated by The Barbarians.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.parraeels.com.au/news/2018/11/19/parramatta-at-legends-of-league-tournament/|title = Parramatta at Legends of League tournament|date = 18 November 2018}}</ref>
In November 2019, Tookey played for Parramatta in the Legends of League Tournament, held in Broadmeadow, NSW. The side was captained by Nathan Hindmarsh, they made it to the grand final, and beating the Canterbury Team in the Final.
==References== {{reflist}}
==Sources== * {{cite book|author=Alan Whiticker & Glen Hudson|title=The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players|year=2007 |publisher=Gary Allen Pty Ltd|location=Wetherill Park, New South Wales|isbn=978-1-877082-93-1|pages=553}} *{{cite journal|author = Mitchell Dale|title = Legend Q&A|journal = Rugby League Week|issue =18 June 2008|pages = 30–31|publisher = PBLMedia|location = Sydney, NSW }}
==External links== {{commons category}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20080806091649/http://www.nrlstats.com/archive/players.cfm?PlayerID=1104 Mark Tookey at ''NRL Stats'']
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tookey, Mark}} Category:1977 births Category:Living people Category:Australian rugby league players Category:Castleford Tigers players Category:London Broncos players Category:Manurewa Marlins players Category:New Zealand Warriors players Category:Parramatta Eels players Category:Rugby league players from Sydney Category:Rugby league props Category:South Queensland Crushers players Category:20th-century Australian sportsmen {{Australia-rugbyleague-bio-1970s-stub}}