Steve Rogers dead at 51

Alexander's Horse · January 2, 2006, 22:11

I can't believe the news today oh boy ....

January 3, 2006 - 11:32AM

Former Cronulla Sharks and Australian rugby league great Steve Rogers has been found dead in his unit in Sydney's southern suburbs.

Sharks management confirmed that the 51-year-old had just returned from an overseas holiday with police saying there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death.

Sharks football manager Greg Pierce said the news had come as a great shock.

"He was due back at work on Monday and I was due to go off for a couple of weeks ... he had been on holidays in Europe for a period and we were just going to [talk] about the state of the nation kind of thing - and it's just quite unbelievable the fact that he won't be there," Pierce said.

Rogers, 51, was the chief executive of the Cronulla club and had an outstanding career as a player with the Sharks and the Australian rugby league team.

The gifted centre played 199 games for Cronulla between 1973 and 1982 with a farewell season in 1985.

He scored 1255 points for the club during those years including 82 tries and 502 goals.

In the intervening years Rogers played with St George, featuring in 25 games.

His representative career was no less impressive, the skilful back featuring in 19 games for NSW and 21 Tests for the Kangaroos.

Considered one of the greatest outside backs the game has seen, Rogers formed a devastating centre combination with Parramatta great Mick Cronin when they played for the national side.

Rogers's son Mat was a former player with the Sharks, also representing at state and national level before making a successful move to rugby union in 2002.

AAP

http://www.smh.com.au/news/league/st...50423988.html#

He's now known more as the father of Matt Rogers but actually he was a much more gifted footballer than his son, a genius.

When he was on the field, there was always a chance that Cronulla would win, even when they were 10 points down and there were 2 minutes on the clock. We all believed in him. So much so there was a sign taken by supporters to every game he played reading "Steve Rogers is GOD".

Roger is rated one of the 2 or 3 greatest centres of all time. He had a devastating sidestep off both feet, just left guys hanging in mid air, never touched him. His acceleration off a standing start was legendary, he could make something out of nothing. He was also a strong defender and a goal kicker. In other words, the complete footballer.

We're going to miss you Steve. I just phoned home. The Shire is in mourning.

So young, 51. He had a heart attack after working out.

Bugs ****ing Bunny · January 3, 2006, 02:07

Well there you go. Exercise is bad.

Sava · January 3, 2006, 02:25

Originally posted by Lazarus and the Gimp
Well there you go. Exercise is bad.

QFT

seriously though

how many 100 year old fitness nuts do you see?

all those people end up dying of heart attacks during marathons or while exercising or something...

the people that live to be 100 are the ones with good genes... as long as you do things in moderation, you should be fine...

but the human body wasn't meant to stay active into middle and old age

that's why those people always drop dead

but I dunno if this guy was a fitness nut or anything... I dunno even who the **** this guy is

Alexander's Horse · January 3, 2006, 03:43

Originally posted by Lazarus and the Gimp
Well there you go. Exercise is bad.

I said the same thing to my colleagues as they rushed off to the gym and I went out for a fag and sticky bun

joncha · January 3, 2006, 03:52

How very homo-erotic of you.

Terra Nullius · January 3, 2006, 03:52

God is dead.

Originally posted by Alexander's Horse
I went out for a fag and sticky bun

must.. not.. say.. it

Agathon · January 3, 2006, 04:16

When he was on the field, there was always a chance that Cronulla would win.

I guess that makes him the second coming of our saviour if he could manage such a miracle.

Sad news...

finbar · January 3, 2006, 11:18

Apparently he'd just split with his wife. Apparently he left notes for various family members. The heart attack was the first hypothesis.

Provost Harrison · January 3, 2006, 11:28

Originally posted by joncha
How very homo-erotic of you.

Never heard of him, and I am certainly no fitness freak. Look at Churchill...he lived to 91, and when asked about the secret of his longevity he replied to partake in absolutely no exercise

Ogie Oglethorpe · January 3, 2006, 13:12

Captain America isn't dead he is simply in suspended animation until reactivated.

Alexander's Horse · January 3, 2006, 17:05

Originally posted by finbar
Apparently he'd just split with his wife. Apparently he left notes for various family members. The heart attack was the first hypothesis.

*blocks ears*

Terra Nullius · January 4, 2006, 02:35

http://www.smh.com.au/news/league/sl...050443074.html

That first year Rogers played in Cronulla's grand final against Manly, a match still regarded as the most violent premiership decider in the game's history.

At the end of the season he toured with the Kangaroos but did not make his Test debut until 1978, the year he captained Cronulla in a tied grand final against the Sea Eagles. In a replay, Manly buried the Sharks.

By then Rogers had won the Rothmans Medal (1975), set a 10-goal club record against Wests (1977) and played in two World Cups (1975, 1977).

Rogers left the Sharks to fulfil a childhood dream of playing with St George in 1983, and starred in the Dragons' loss to Parramatta in the 1984 final. He returned to Cronulla in 1985. The first game of that season was his last for the Sharks. Rogers later recalled off-loading to his left then catching a glimpse of the Bulldogs hooker Mark Bugden coming in from his right.

When Rogers regained consciousness a club doctor had a hand inside his mouth holding together his broken jaw while a cut artery spurted blood.

Final proof that even God wants to be a Dragon.

horses with sticky buns - hmm...
now that's an image that's kept a smile on my face all day long

Alexander's Horse · January 4, 2006, 04:00

I'm just going to ignore to homo minds. This is football damnit - blokes doing blokey violent things with other blokes NOT involving pass the saveloy.

Playing for Saint George would be a childhood dream for Rogers because the Sharks weren't formed till 1967

Here's a shot of the great man employing the famous sidestep. Notice number 7 has completely missed him

finbar · January 4, 2006, 04:30

Get your fingers out of your ears. Now son Matt has confirmed that his old man was suffering from depression.

Alexander's Horse · January 4, 2006, 05:30

that's been known for some time fin - he hasn't had a happy life since retiring - throw a couple of breakdowns into the mix

Matt is quite religious in a born again sort of way. he had a tough upbringing. Mum died a few years ago.

Terra Nullius · January 4, 2006, 05:44

Originally posted by Alexander's Horse
Here's a shot of the great man employing the famous sidestep.

I seem to remember having a footy card in primary school with that very pic,

long time gone

finbar · January 4, 2006, 08:08

Originally posted by Alexander's Horse
that's been known for some time fin - he hasn't had a happy life since retiring - throw a couple of breakdowns into the mix

Matt is quite religious in a born again sort of way. he had a tough upbringing. Mum died a few years ago.

I remember. Young Matt has never been the most stable of individuals either. Hopefully this won't tip him over. Glorious rugby player when on song. Thank heavens he turned his back on that silly other game.

Alexander's Horse · January 4, 2006, 19:41

I occasionally hear kiddies around here talking about ending their life. This is what it does to those around you.

Tough task … brothers Don and Mat Rogers face the media yesterday to talk about the death of their father, Steve.

By Ben Cubby, Les Kennedy, Ruth Pollard and Nadia Jamal
January 5, 2006
THE PAIN was still raw when Australian rugby player Mat Rogers spoke of the death of his father, Steve.

"Dad's sudden, unexpected death has been a tremendous shock to all of us," he said yesterday in a brief, prepared statement at the Cronulla Leagues Club.
Rogers, flanked by his brother, Don, girlfriend, Chloe Maxwell, and the Cronulla club president, Barry Pierce, revealed his father was suffering depression.

The 51-year-old rugby league legend was found dead in a stairwell outside his Cronulla flat on Tuesday. "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," Mat Rogers said.

Before he took his life with what is believed to have been a cocktail of alcohol and prescription drugs, Steve Rogers wrote three letters - one each to his two sons and daughter. Police gave copies of the notes to the sons but would not say if they gave reasons for the suicide.

However, it is understood that police, who have concluded their investigation and ruled the case "not suspicious", are satisfied Rogers had been suffering from depression for some time.

The family has been drawn together by the tragedy. Don Rogers drove from Byron Bay, where he had been staying, as soon as he heard of his father's death. Steve's daughter, Melanie, is due to arrive from Perth tomorrow. And Rogers's wife, Ingrid, made a brief visit to the couple's flat yesterday. The couple's third wedding anniversary is next month.

The funeral is to be held at 1pm on Saturday at the Shire Christian Centre.

Matt has done really well. As a dual international his achievements rival his Dad's, with less natural gift.

If you're depressed, please talk to someone.