Wheelchair World Cup-bound Harre repays brother-in-law's support

Shaun Harre started playing wheelchair rugby league as a way to repay one of his biggest supporters in life, his brother-in-law Cory Mostran.

As a 21-year-old, Mostran – now 31 – was in a tragic motorbike accident that left him with a broken back, damage to his spinal cord and the loss of use of his legs.

Harre, 35, has known Mostran for more than 20 years, and in that time their bond grew through their shared love of rugby league and Mostran’s support for Harre’s playing career.

They always hoped one day they would play the game together and after Mostran’s accident, they didn’t give up on that dream. They just found a new way to make it happen.

“I first got into wheelchair rugby league in 2015,” Harre, an able-bodied athlete, said.

“Cory went to a come-and-try session so I got involved with him.

“Before his accident, he was always one of my biggest supporters and always wanted to play rugby league with me. He was always there for me and supporting me... he was my number one fan.

“We found out it was an inclusive sport, so the ability to have that inclusive sport and play alongside each other, really drew me to it.”

They have played together at Beachmere Wheelchair Rugby League, which was significant for both of them as Beachmere is the club where Harre played the able-bodied version of the game when Mostran was younger.

Beachmere helped the pair form a wheelchair team, presenting them the opportunity to play together as they always hoped to do.

They then debuted together for Queensland in 2016 and this July, they won the Wheelchair State of Origin title.

Now as Harre flies to the United Kingdom to represent Australia in the 2021 Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup – the first time it is part of the main event – he wants to continue to be a role model for his brother-in-law and continue to inspire him to chase his own rugby league goals.

He wants to return the support that Mostran continues to give to him.

“Me being part of this World Cup gives him the drive to do that,” Harre said of Mostran.

“He wants to be there. He now gets to see the opportunity that I get and he wants that as well. He has his sights set on the 2025 World Cup, when it’s in France.

“It’s been pretty amazing playing with him. It’s something I never thought I’d be able to do.

“To have this platform where we have the opportunity to achieve something together, after all the years of his support, has been massive.

“For his own personal challenges, to see him now in a sport that has given him purpose, it’s been awesome to watch him grow and that we’ve been able to do that together.”

Mostran and his sister, who is Harre’s wife, will both head over to the UK to watch Harre in action next month, with Australia’s first match to be played on Friday, November 4 (AEST) against England.

This will be Harre’s first World Cup, but not his first time representing Australia, after he made his international debut in 2019 against England.

Harre sees that debut as one of his highlights, but also a turning point in his wheelchair rugby league career.

Prior to that experience, he struggled with his confidence. But since then, and with the help of his Queensland coach, Jack Brown, the Maroons co-captain is a leader within the sport.

“To get selected for Australia back then was a surprise,” Harre said.

“Personally, you’re always your own worst critic at times and you definitely have self-doubt.

“To be chosen amongst a certain group of players, it was a massive achievement for me and took a bit of time to sink in.

“That was a big confidence changer for me. Now with the guidance from Jack Brown for Queensland, he’s helped me with leadership qualities and a bit of self-belief, to let me know I’m worthy of being there.

“Personally it’s given me the drive to stay at that level, to always want to achieve at that level.”

Harre, a playmaker, is now ready to help Australia become a force on the international rugby league stage.

In 2019, he quickly realised that England were one of the leaders in the sport and he has also tipped France to make an impression in this year’s World Cup.

Australia, England, Ireland and Spain make up Group A while France, Scotland, USA and Wales form Group B.

The Australians are viewing the opening match against England as a measure of where they stand. They will then take on Ireland on Monday, November 7, before meeting Spain on Wednesday, November 9.

The team have a lot of hope for the impact they can make, but regardless of what they achieve, Harre said he is forever proud to wear the green and gold.

“I’m really proud to represent Australia,” he said.

“It’s a massive achievement as an individual thing but it’s also the most inclusive World Cup, so we’re creating history as well. Being part of that is massive and something I’m really proud of.”