Steve Rogers was just 18 years of age when he debuted for the Sharks during a season which culminated in a Grand Final appearance.
The Sharks were unsuccessful in that famous premiership decider, however the career of the young local junior had just begun, with Rogers' outstanding skill, his defensive prowess and iconic swerve seeing him rated amongst the very best players of his era.
Rogers would play for the Kangaroos on 24 occasions, make 15 appearances for New South Wales and represent the Sharks in over 200 matches, making him an almost automatic selection as a Sharks Immortal and as a member of the Clubs Team of the Half Century.
In emphasising his abilities, Rogers would receive the Dally M Medal in 1981, Captain and Lock of the Year that same season, after claiming the prestigious Rothmans Medal in 1975.
In the 1978 season, Rogers captained the Sharks to the Grand Final, where they were held to a draw, before being defeated by the Manly Sea Eagles in the midweek replay.
Sadly, Rogers is no longer with us and since his tragic passing, as a mark of respect the Sharks and their traditional rivals in Manly pay tribute to his legacy in competing annually for the Steve Rogers Cup.
Again, the trophy will be up for grabs when the teams clash at Southern Cross Group Stadium on Sunday.
Earlier in the week, the Rogers family was invited to a Gala Dinner, where five new NRL Immortals were inducted into the select group of players who have been recognised as the best of all time.
At that function, Don Rogers, brother of Matt and oldest son of Steve, caught up with a few of his father's former teammates, greats of the game including the likes of Wally Lewis, Mick Cronin, Kerry Bousted and Mal Meninga.
They all had great memories, stories to tell and words of praise for the man they called 'Sludge'.
From Mal Meninga; "I was thankful for your dad. I was his roomie on the Kangaroo Tour. He was a great man and we had a great time."
Wally Lewis; "I played my first Test Match in 1981 at the SCG. I'll never forget it. The backline was Steve Mortimer, Mick Cronin, Kerry Bousted and Steve Rogers. Then I got the opportunity to learn from him for the next couple of years. It really was a thrill to be on the same field as Steve Rogers."
Those interviews filmed on the week of the Steve Rogers Cup match between the Sharks and Sea Eagles, are now available through Sharks TV, in a tribute to a man who is certainly in the conversation when discussions are being had about the best Shark of all time.
