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Steve Rogers (rugby league footballer)
Encyclopedia
Steve Rogers was an Australian rugby league
footballer of the 1970s and 80s. He played for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks and St. George Dragons
teams in the New South Wales Rugby League premiership
competition and for Widnes
in the English competition, usually in the position of centre. Rogers represented New South Wales
and Australia captaining the national team
once in 1981.
After his retirement, Rogers was named as one of the five "immortals" of the Cronulla club (see http://nrl.rleague.com/news/index.php?id=13065).
He became involved in the administration of rugby league, and held the position of Cronulla's CEO at the time of his death.
Steve Rogers died after swallowing a combination of prescription drugs and alcohol on 3 January 2006. In April 2006, the NSW state coroner ruled that the death was accidental, and that Rogers had not intended to commit suicide. He is survived by his sons, Mat
and Don, his daughter Melanie, and his second wife Ingrid.
In the 1972 Gold Coast Group 18 competition 17-tear-old centre Steve Rogers helped a Gold Coast Tigers outfit to victory in the Grand Final against Tweed Heads Seagulls
. The following season he moved to Sydney to play in the NSWRFL Premiership.
as a "rare, rare talent – the greatest all round centre three-quarter I have seen." In that year, he played in his first Grand final
, which Cronulla lost to the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
and made the first of three Kangaroo Tour
s.
In 1975 Rogers won the Rothmans Medal
for best and fairest player in the NSWRFL. He played for New South Wales
in 1980's first state of origin match. He was named player of the series in the 1981 Tooth Cup
tournament and also won that year's Dally M Award.
Rogers was selected to tour with the Australian national rugby league team
on the 1973 Kangaroo Tour
. National honours continued when he was selected in the Australian squad for the 1975 Rugby League World Cup
, 1977 Rugby League World Cup
, 1978 Kangaroo tour
, 1980 Tour of New Zealand and was a centre in all three tests against Great Britain
and the two tests against France
on the 1982 Kangaroo Tour
. Rogers would captain the Kangaroos in 1981 against France
.
. He played with them for two seasons, culminating in an appearance in the 1984 reserve grade Grand Final, which the Dragons lost.
, in a tackle from Mark Bugden.
In 1986 Rogers signed with Widnes
in the English competition, but only played for 13 minutes after breaking his leg in his first game of the year against Wigan
. This was the last game of his career.
in Darwin
and Perth
. After an unsuccessful business venture running a hotel at Lennox Head, Rogers became involved once more with the Cronulla club, becoming the football manager and later, Chief Executive Officer of the club.
His personal life was marred by tragedy. After losing his father (Don) and mother (Marj) to cancer, his wife Carol also died from the disease on 11 May 2001. Rogers' brother also committed suicide.
On 3 January 2006, Rogers was found dead outside the door of his Cronulla unit. Initial reports of a heart attack soon turned to suggestions of suicide as the existence of three letters—apparently suicide notes to his three children—was revealed. His son Mat also confirmed that his father had been suffering from depression: "He was suffering from some depression and, as a person of his stature and a public figure, he found it really hard to talk about it to other people and therefore exacerbated the problem," he said. Police believed that he had swallowed a cocktail of alcohol and prescription drugs. There has been some speculation that Rogers may have attempted to make an emergency telephone call in the moments before his death.
In February 2008, Rogers was named in the list of Australia's 100 Greatest Players (1908–2007) which was commissioned by the NRL
and ARL
to celebrate the code's centenary year in Australia. While playing football, Rogers also served in the New South Wales Police Force and in 2008, rugby league's centennial year in Australia, he was named at five-eighth in a NSW Police team of the century. Also in 2008 Rogers was named in New South Wales' rugby league team of the century.
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
footballer of the 1970s and 80s. He played for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks and St. George Dragons
St. George Dragons
The St George Dragons was an Australian Rugby league football club in St George, Sydney, New South Wales that played in Australia's top-level Rugby league competition from New South Wales Rugby Football League in 1921 until 1998; in 1999 they formed a joint venture with the Illawarra Steelers,...
teams in the New South Wales Rugby League premiership
New South Wales Rugby League premiership
The New South Wales Rugby League premiership was the first rugby league football club competition established in Australia. Run by the New South Wales Rugby League from 1908 until 1994, the premiership was the state's and later the country's elite rugby league competition...
competition and for Widnes
Widnes Vikings
Widnes Vikings RLFC are an English professional rugby league club based in Widnes, Cheshire. They currently play in the Engage Super League, the top tier of European rugby league, after being awarded a license to compete in the top-flight Super League from 2012 onward...
in the English competition, usually in the position of centre. Rogers represented New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
and Australia captaining the national team
Australian national rugby league team
The Australian national rugby league team have represented Australia in senior men's rugby league football competition since the establishment of the game in Australia in 1908. Administered by the Australian Rugby League, the Kangaroos' are ranked number one in the RLIF World Rankings...
once in 1981.
After his retirement, Rogers was named as one of the five "immortals" of the Cronulla club (see http://nrl.rleague.com/news/index.php?id=13065).
He became involved in the administration of rugby league, and held the position of Cronulla's CEO at the time of his death.
Steve Rogers died after swallowing a combination of prescription drugs and alcohol on 3 January 2006. In April 2006, the NSW state coroner ruled that the death was accidental, and that Rogers had not intended to commit suicide. He is survived by his sons, Mat
Mat Rogers
Matthew S. "Mat" Rogers is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. He also played rugby union at the highest levels, becoming a dual-code international. The son of the late Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks legend and CEO Steve Rogers, Mat played for the Sharks...
and Don, his daughter Melanie, and his second wife Ingrid.
Biography
Tweed Heads Seagulls
The Tweed Heads Seagulls, often referred to simply as Tweed or Seagulls, is a rugby league club based in Tweed Heads, New South Wales, and is the only non-Queensland team to play in the Queensland Cup.-History:...
. The following season he moved to Sydney to play in the NSWRFL Premiership.
1973
Rogers began playing first grade rugby league at the age of eighteen for the Cronulla-Sutherland club in 1973. Playing the position of centre, his talent did not go unnoticed. He was described by the club's captain/coach, Tommy BishopTommy Bishop
Tommy Bishop is an English former rugby league footballer and coach of the 1960s and 70s. He played for St. Helens in the English Rugby Football League Championship and the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in the New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia...
as a "rare, rare talent – the greatest all round centre three-quarter I have seen." In that year, he played in his first Grand final
Grand Final
Grand Final is a predominantly Australian sport term used to describe a match that decides a league champion.It originated in Victoria and South Australia and has become specifically significant Australian culture...
, which Cronulla lost to the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League's Telstra Premiership, the premier rugby league competition of Australasia...
and made the first of three Kangaroo Tour
Kangaroo Tour
Kangaroo Tour is the name given to Australian national rugby league team tours of Great Britain and France. The first Kangaroo Tour was in 1908. Traditionally, Kangaroo Tours took place every four years and involved a three-Test Ashes series against Great Britain and a number of tour matches...
s.
1974–1982
Rogers led Cronulla to the grand final as captain, in 1978, once more against the Sea Eagles. The match was a tie, and Cronulla lost a replay in the following week. During that season, he was often switched to lock forward and was effective in that role. Three years later, he won the Dally M Lock Of The Year award.In 1975 Rogers won the Rothmans Medal
Rothmans Medal
The Rothmans Medal was the premier individual award in both the New South Wales Rugby League and Brisbane Rugby League competitions, and later in the Australian Rugby League, which was given to the player voted by referees as the best and fairest in those competitions for that year.The award was...
for best and fairest player in the NSWRFL. He played for New South Wales
New South Wales rugby league team
The New South Wales rugby league team has represented the Australian state of New South Wales in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1907. Administered by the New South Wales Rugby League, the team competes in the annual State of Origin series against arch-rivals, the...
in 1980's first state of origin match. He was named player of the series in the 1981 Tooth Cup
1981 Tooth Cup
The 1981 Tooth Cup was the Australian mid-week rugby league competition of the 1981 season.-Format:The teams each played two round matches with the best eight progressing to the finals...
tournament and also won that year's Dally M Award.
Rogers was selected to tour with the Australian national rugby league team
Australian national rugby league team
The Australian national rugby league team have represented Australia in senior men's rugby league football competition since the establishment of the game in Australia in 1908. Administered by the Australian Rugby League, the Kangaroos' are ranked number one in the RLIF World Rankings...
on the 1973 Kangaroo Tour
Kangaroo Tour
Kangaroo Tour is the name given to Australian national rugby league team tours of Great Britain and France. The first Kangaroo Tour was in 1908. Traditionally, Kangaroo Tours took place every four years and involved a three-Test Ashes series against Great Britain and a number of tour matches...
. National honours continued when he was selected in the Australian squad for the 1975 Rugby League World Cup
1975 Rugby League World Cup
The 1975 Rugby League World Cup was the seventh staging of rugby league football's World Cup tournament...
, 1977 Rugby League World Cup
1977 Rugby League World Cup
- Final standings :-Final:Great Britain were the underdogs going to the final, which was held at the Sydney Cricket Ground. They managed to dominate the possession, and it took a last minute try from Australia’s John Kolc to secure the Cup in front of 24,457 spectators.Australia: Graham Eadie;...
, 1978 Kangaroo tour
Kangaroo Tour
Kangaroo Tour is the name given to Australian national rugby league team tours of Great Britain and France. The first Kangaroo Tour was in 1908. Traditionally, Kangaroo Tours took place every four years and involved a three-Test Ashes series against Great Britain and a number of tour matches...
, 1980 Tour of New Zealand and was a centre in all three tests against Great Britain
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
and the two tests against France
France national rugby league team
The France national rugby league team represent France in international rugby league tournaments. They are also sometimes referred to as "Les Tricolores" or more commonly "Les Chanticleers"...
on the 1982 Kangaroo Tour
Kangaroo Tour
Kangaroo Tour is the name given to Australian national rugby league team tours of Great Britain and France. The first Kangaroo Tour was in 1908. Traditionally, Kangaroo Tours took place every four years and involved a three-Test Ashes series against Great Britain and a number of tour matches...
. Rogers would captain the Kangaroos in 1981 against France
France national rugby league team
The France national rugby league team represent France in international rugby league tournaments. They are also sometimes referred to as "Les Tricolores" or more commonly "Les Chanticleers"...
.
1983–1984
As a result of Cronulla's serious financial difficulties, Rogers signed for 1983 with Cronulla's local rival, the St. George DragonsSt. George Dragons
The St George Dragons was an Australian Rugby league football club in St George, Sydney, New South Wales that played in Australia's top-level Rugby league competition from New South Wales Rugby Football League in 1921 until 1998; in 1999 they formed a joint venture with the Illawarra Steelers,...
. He played with them for two seasons, culminating in an appearance in the 1984 reserve grade Grand Final, which the Dragons lost.
1985–1986
Rogers returned to Cronulla in 1985, but only played nine minutes in the season after breaking his jaw in his first game of the year against the Canterbury BulldogsCanterbury Bulldogs
The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Belmore, a suburb in the Canterbury-Bankstown region of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, as well as New South Wales Rugby League junior competitions...
, in a tackle from Mark Bugden.
In 1986 Rogers signed with Widnes
Widnes Vikings
Widnes Vikings RLFC are an English professional rugby league club based in Widnes, Cheshire. They currently play in the Engage Super League, the top tier of European rugby league, after being awarded a license to compete in the top-flight Super League from 2012 onward...
in the English competition, but only played for 13 minutes after breaking his leg in his first game of the year against Wigan
Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
. This was the last game of his career.
Post playing
After retiring from the playing field Rogers remained involved with rugby league coaching. He coached for a time in Queensland, and worked in administrative roles for the Australian Rugby LeagueAustralian Rugby League
The Australian Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in Australia. It is made up of state bodies, including the New South Wales Rugby League and the Queensland Rugby League...
in Darwin
Darwin, Northern Territory
Darwin is the capital city of the Northern Territory, Australia. Situated on the Timor Sea, Darwin has a population of 127,500, making it by far the largest and most populated city in the sparsely populated Northern Territory, but the least populous of all Australia's capital cities...
and Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
. After an unsuccessful business venture running a hotel at Lennox Head, Rogers became involved once more with the Cronulla club, becoming the football manager and later, Chief Executive Officer of the club.
His personal life was marred by tragedy. After losing his father (Don) and mother (Marj) to cancer, his wife Carol also died from the disease on 11 May 2001. Rogers' brother also committed suicide.
On 3 January 2006, Rogers was found dead outside the door of his Cronulla unit. Initial reports of a heart attack soon turned to suggestions of suicide as the existence of three letters—apparently suicide notes to his three children—was revealed. His son Mat also confirmed that his father had been suffering from depression: "He was suffering from some depression and, as a person of his stature and a public figure, he found it really hard to talk about it to other people and therefore exacerbated the problem," he said. Police believed that he had swallowed a cocktail of alcohol and prescription drugs. There has been some speculation that Rogers may have attempted to make an emergency telephone call in the moments before his death.
In February 2008, Rogers was named in the list of Australia's 100 Greatest Players (1908–2007) which was commissioned by the NRL
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
and ARL
Australian Rugby League
The Australian Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in Australia. It is made up of state bodies, including the New South Wales Rugby League and the Queensland Rugby League...
to celebrate the code's centenary year in Australia. While playing football, Rogers also served in the New South Wales Police Force and in 2008, rugby league's centennial year in Australia, he was named at five-eighth in a NSW Police team of the century. Also in 2008 Rogers was named in New South Wales' rugby league team of the century.
Point scoring summary
| Games | Tries | Goals | F/G | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 311 | 129 | 582 | 10 | 1571 |
Matches played
| Team | Matches | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Cronulla Sharks | 232 | 1973–1982, 1985 |
| St. George Dragons | 29 | 1983, 1984 |
| Widnes | 1 | 1986 |
| New South Wales (residents) | 17 | 1973–1979 |
| New South Wales (state of origin) | 4 | 1980–1982 |
| Australia (Tests) | 21 | 1973–1981 |
| Australia (World Cup) | 3 | 1975, 1977 |
| Australia (tour matches) | 27 | 1973, 1978 |
Records
- Until 2002, Rogers held the record for the most points scored in a match (26) for the Cronulla club.
- Rogers is one of twenty Australian internationals to come from the Cronulla club, and one of two players (alongside Greg PierceGreg PierceGreg Pierce is an Australian rugby league identity - a former player and coach and a current administrator. He played at Lock forward for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in the National Rugby League competition and for Australian national side...
) to have captained the national side. - Rogers holds the standing record for the most points ever scored for the Cronulla club (1253)
Sources
- Australian Associated Press (3 January 2006) "Football great Rogers found dead", The Australian. Retrieved 4 January 2006
- Cubby, Ben et al. (5 January 2006) "Depressed and unable to talk about it: Mat tells of his father's greatest struggle", Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 5 January 2006
- Heads, Ian (4 January 2006) "Vale 'the complete footballer'" The Australian (page 14)
- Kogoy, Peter and McDonald, Annabelle (5 January 2006) "Legend's fatal drug, alcohol cocktail" The Australian. Retrieved 5 January 2006.
- Magnay, Jacquelin (6 January 2005) "Phone slip-up may have killed Rogers" Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 9 January 2006.
- Watson, Rhett (5 January 2006) "Depression plagued league star" www.news.com.au. Retrieved 5 January 2005.
- Cronulla Sharks official website (Individual Player Records)
- Widnes Vikings official website (Player Biography)
- World of Rugby League website
External links
- Cronulla Sharks First Grade Juniors
- Steve Rogers at stateoforigin.com.au
- Rogers v Bugden Supreme Court of NSW