Mat Rogers

Mat Rogers played his first junior rugby league with Engadine Dragons in Cronulla Shire, but also played junior league league for Nerang and Runaway Bay, representing Queensland at Under 12 and Under 15 levels in league, and in the Open Schoolboys in union, from The Southport School, where he was a boarder.

His father, Steve, who captained Australia in rugby league, had also played juniors in Cronulla, before turning out for Gold Coast Tigers first grade in the Group 18 / Gold Coast league in the early 1970s, aged 17.

He went on to play Origin for New South Wales.

Mat was 10 when Steve and the family left Sydney for Northern New South Wales.

After playing for Australian Schoolboys rugby union, Rogers chose League as his sporting career path, signing with Cronulla, his father's old club.

Rogers made his first grade debut for the Sharks in 1995, winning the Dally M Rookie of the Year Award.

In 1997, he played for Queensland in Super League's Tri-Series. Rogers made his Test debut for Australia in 1998, but injury ruled him out of contention for the Origin series.

His Queensland debut came in 1999, and he kicked Queensland to victory in Game I, landing four penalty goals and a field goal in a 9-8 result.

I’ll never forget coming down Caxton Street in the bus and seeing the emotion on the fans faces, and thinking to myself we cannot lose this.

Mat Rogers FOG #111

In 2002, after 123 first grade appearances for the Sharks, Rogers switched to rugby union, signing with the NSW Waratahs. He spent five years in rugby, and played 45 Tests for the Wallabies, before returning to league at the end of 2006, with the newly formed Gold Coast Titans.

Rogers played 58 games for the Titans, before announcing his retirement in 2011.

He finished his career with 200 NRL appearances; 11 Tests for Australia and 5 Origins for Queensland. He played predominantly on the wing at Cronulla, but play mainly at centre or five-eighth at the Titans. He also was a brilliant fullback.

His five games for Queensland were played on the wing, and it was there that he represented his country, a highlight his performance in the 1999 Tri-series final against the Kiwis in Auckland, when he scored two tries and landed three goals in the Kangaroos' 22-20 win.

His late father, Steve holds the record for most points for Cronulla - 1253 - while Mat is second on the all time list, with 1112.

In retirement, Mat has founded a children's charity, and was a volunteer engagement manager for the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.