Steve Rogers
Centre
Player Bio
- Inducted:
- 2008
- Date of Birth:
- 20 November 1954
- Birthplace:
- Sydney, NSW
- Nickname:
- Sludge
- Debut Team:
- Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
- Date:
- 18 February 1973
- Opposition:
- Parramatta Eels
- Venue:
- Endeavour Field, Cronulla
- Representative:
- City, New South Wales, Australia
- Clubs:
- Gold Coast Tigers, Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, St George Dragons, Widnes
Career
Milestones
- Grand Final Appearances: 1973, 1978
- Kangaroo Tours: 1973, 1978, 1982
- Rothmans Medal: 1975
- Dally M Medal: 1981
- Dally M Lock of the Year: 1981
- New South Wales Team of the Century: 2008
- Australian captain: 2 Tests
- Rated No. 31 in Rugby League Week’s Top 100 players: 1992
- Named in NRL Team of the 1970s: 2005
Playing
- First Class Games
- 352
- Points
- 1752
- Tries
- 147
Biography
Steve Rogers was a brilliant and stylish centre who was credited with having one of the best defensive techniques in the game. With the ball in hand he was magical; he had speed and brilliant footwork and comparisons with Reg Gasnier were inevitable.
Perhaps the great tribute that could be given to Rogers is that he lived up to that comparison. Mick Cronin and Rod Reddy both used the same phrase to describe their former Test team-mate: ''the complete player''.
Rogers announced himself as a teenage centre of precocious talents in his first season with Cronulla, and 11 seasons later he produced a superb performance in the preliminary final, as a five-eighth with St George.
He played in the 1973 grand final at 18 and was selected to tour with the Kangaroos the same season.
It was the first of three tours with the Kangaroos, culminating in the undefeated march through England and France with the Invincibles of 1982.
Rogers played in the landmark first State of Origin match in 1980.
His all-round talents included a prodigious goal-kicking ability and he died in 2006 with his Cronulla point-scoring record of 1,253 points intact.
He led the Sharks in the 1978 grand final and grand final replay, won the Rothmans Medal in 1975 and was named Dally M player of the year in 1981.
“His ability to wrap up a player 'ball and all' was his biggest asset. I can’t remember getting past him.”
Mick Cronin Kangaroo team-mate and centre partner
78. Steve Rogers - Hall of Fame
Career Stats
Club Career
| Team Name | Competition | Year Start | Year End | Played | Tries | Goals | Field Goals | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gold Coast Tigers | 1971 | 1972 | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | Premiership |
1973
1985 |
1982
1985 |
202 | 82 | 501 | 5 | 1,253 |
| Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | Official Pre-Season | 1973 | 1981 | 22 | 8 | 20 | - | 64 |
| Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | Mid-Week Competitions | 1974 | 1981 | 15 | 9 | 43 | - | 113 |
| St George Dragons | Premiership | 1983 | 1984 | 29 | 8 | 42 | 5 | 121 |
| St George Dragons | Mid-Week Competitions | 1983 | 1984 | 2 | 1 | 5 | - | 14 |
| Widnes | England First Class Games | 1985 | 1986 | 1 | - | - | - | - |
Representative Career
City - Country
| Team Name | Opponent | Year Start | Year End | Played | Tries | Goals | Field Goals | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City Seconds | Country Seconds | 1975 | 1975 | 1 | - | - | - | - |
| City Firsts | Country Firsts |
1975
1981 |
1979
1983 |
8 | 6 | 5 | - | 29 |
State
| Team Name | Competition | Opponent | Year Start | Year End | Played | Tries | Goals | Field Goals | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New South Wales | State of Origin | Queensland | 1980 | 1982 | 4 | - | - | - | - |
| New South Wales | Interstate Series | Queensland |
1973
1975 |
1973
1981 |
16 | 7 | 6 | - | 33 |
| New South Wales | Touring Sides | 1977 | 1977 | 1 | - | 1 | - | 2 |
International
| Team Name | Competition | Year Start | Year End | Played | Tries | Goals | Field Goals | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | Tests and World Cup |
1975
1978
1981 |
1975
1979
1983 |
24 | 12 | 2 | - | 41 |
| Australia | Tour Matches |
1973
1975
1977
1982 |
1973
1975
1978
1982 |
27 | 14 | 25 | - | 92 |
Latest
Hall of Fame Members
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