Ashley Harrison

Ashley Harrison was a player who could consider themselves desperately unlucky not to represent Australia.

He played 15 State of Origin matches for Queensland and 276 NRL games, as well as twice representing the NRL All Stars.

A Norths Aspley junior, Harrison attended Wavell State High and was part of the South Queensland Crushers Academy. When the Crushers folded at the end of the 1997 season, he was signed by the Brisbane Broncos.

In 1998, Harrison was chosen for the Australian Schoolboys tour of New Zealand, alongside the likes of future Origin stars, Justin Hodges, Mark Gasnier, Brent Kite and Brett Finch.

In 1999, Harrison played Colts for Broncos' affiliate, Brisbane Brothers. Harrison made his NRL debut for the Broncos in 2000 and went on to play 20 games in his rookie season, including the NRL grand final victory over the Sydney Roosters at ANZ Stadium.

Harrison represented the Junior Kangaroos against the Junior Kiwis at the end of the season. Harrison came off contract after an injury hit 2002, and signed with South Sydney, winning the George Piggins' Medal as the Rabbitohs' Best Player in 2005, as well as captaining the side.

He made his State of Origin debut for Queensland in Game III of the 2005 series, but did not get another chance in Maroon until 2008.

The utility forward made the most of his opportunity, going on to play in five series in a row, all of them won by Queensland. Harrison was one of Queensland's unsung heroes, filling the void when Dallas Johnson bowed out of representative football, after the 2009 series.

He's just one of those guys who goes about his business and works really hard for his team mates.

Billy Slater FOG #142

Harrison had signed with the Roosters in 2006, but moved back to Queensland to play with Gold Coast Titans in 2008, and went on to play 117 matches for the club over seven seasons. He had a contract for 2015, but retired because of an ongoing neck injury.

He contested triathlons at the end of of his football career, although he made brief rugby league comeback with Tugun, in the Gold Coast competition. He also made a tangible contribution to the future of the code, through 'LittleLeagies', a health and fitness program based around rugby league and touch football skills, with a special focus on the two to five year age groups.

The concept was the brainchild of Harrison and Titans' team mates, Scott Prince and Luke O'Dwyer.

Harrison also works in financial planning sector. His uncle, Glen played four matches for Queensland against New South Wales, in 1970 and 1971, from Brisbane Norths.