MARKING Mark Gasnier is one of the toughest assignments in the NRL.The Dragons centre earns his money making opposing centres look stupid.
But North Queensland centre Ben Harris, after three years in the UK Super League, has put his hand up for the role. Albeit reluctantly.
"It is usually a job you should avoid," Harris said.
"But if I have to, then I will do it. It is not a real good job. He is one of the best at what he does and it won`t be much fun.
"I will just go out to do what I have to do."
If anyone can contain Gasnier, it should be Harris - the only Cowboys player to have won two premierships - one with the Bulldogs in 2004, the other with Bradford in 2005.
"There is no secret to marking someone like Gasnier," Harris said.
"You don`t look at one particular part of his body. You just do your best and cut off his space."
Harris said he jumped at the chance to join the Cowboys following his three-year stint with Bradford.
"We have settled in pretty well," he said.
"We haven`t had a real good start to the season but we are getting there now.
"It`s a new team and I am slowly getting used to the way we play."
It`s a task made easier by the fact he won a premiership with Johnathan Thurston in 2004.
"We played a lot together at Canterbury," Harris said.
"He has been going really well over the last couple of years so it has been good to link up with him again.
"He was a good player at Canterbury and always a leader. So it wasn`t a surprise to see how good he was when I returned to the NRL."
