[2] A Newcastle junior, Mark Sargent signed with Canterbury-Bankstown and made his first grade debut for the Bulldogs on 13 April 1986 against the North Sydney Bears at the Belmore Sports Ground.
[3] Sargent would play 19 games for the Bulldogs until the end of the 1988 NSWRL season and was unlucky to miss a place in their premiership winning team that year.
[citation needed] An injury riddled 1991 season saw him miss selection for both NSW and Australia's successful home Trans-Tasman series against New Zealand.
His form continued for the Knights and along with his front row partner Paul Harragon who made his Test and Origin debut in 1992, helped Newcastle into their first ever finals series.
At the end of the 1992 season, Sargent, Harragon and fullback Brad Godden were the Knights players selected to Australia's victorious World Cup final squad for a 4-game mini-tour of England (the Australian's played three lead up games against English club sides).