| Les Mara | |
| Position: | Five-eighth |
| Teama: | Illawarra Firsts |
| Yearastart: | 1974 |
| Appearancesa: | 1 |
| Triesa: | 0 |
| Goalsa: | 0 |
| Fieldgoalsa: | 0 |
| Pointsa: | 0 |
| Teamb: | New South Wales |
| Yearbstart: | 1975 |
| Yearbend: | 76 |
| Appearancesb: | 2 |
| Triesb: | 0 |
| Goalsb: | 0 |
| Fieldgoalsb: | 0 |
| Pointsb: | 0 |
| Club1: | Balmain Tigers |
| Year1start: | 1975 |
| Year1end: | 76 |
| Appearances1: | 29 |
| Tries1: | 9 |
| Goals1: | 0 |
| Fieldgoals1: | 1 |
| Points1: | 28 |
| Club2: | South Sydney |
| Year2start: | 1977 |
| Appearances2: | 18 |
| Tries2: | 4 |
| Goals2: | 0 |
| Fieldgoals2: | 1 |
| Points2: | 13 |
| Club3: | Balmain Tigers |
| Year3start: | 1978 |
| Year3end: | 79 |
| Appearances3: | 27 |
| Tries3: | 9 |
| Goals3: | 0 |
| Fieldgoals3: | 1 |
| Points3: | 28 |
| Club4: | Newtown Jets |
| Year4start: | 1982 |
| Appearances4: | 7 |
| Tries4: | 1 |
| Goals4: | 0 |
| Fieldgoals4: | 0 |
| Points4: | 3 |
Les Mara (born 1953) is an Australian former rugby league player.
An ex-Balmain junior, Mara had a stint with Thirroul prior to making his first-grade debut with Balmain in 1975. During that time in 1974 he represented Illawarra Firsts against the touring Great Britain Lions.[1]
He featured for Balmain as a five-eighth and at the end of his debut season made several appearances for English club St. Helens, which included a match against the touring Australian national side.[2] In 1975 and 1976, Mara represented NSW in interstate matches against Queensland. He left Balmain in 1977 for South Sydney, where he alternated between five-eighth and lock, then returned to the Tigers for two more seasons. After a season coaching Kurri Kurri, Mara had two years in the merchant navy, before resuming his league career with Newtown in 1982.[3]
Mara was charged in 2006 with conspiracy to import cocaine into the country from South America, as part of a scheme involving airport baggage-handlers.[4] He had evaded authorities for 18 months before his arrest in Callala Bay, New South Wales, having previously been hiding out in Brazil and Ireland.[5] [6] In 2007, Mara was sentenced to a 20-year jail term, with 13-years to be served until he was eligible for parole.[7] [8]