It has sat comfortably on display at Sharks at Kareela following a 40-22 win by the Sharks over Manly last year, however the Steve Rogers Cup has now headed north to Queensland to continue a tradition started way back in 2006.
A trophy contested by the Sharks and Sea Eagles following the tragic and premature passing of Sharks immortal Steve Rogers, the cup has never ventured further than Brookvale Oval, PointsBet Stadium or on a couple of occasions to neutral venues in Sydney as a part of an NRL Finals series.
This week however the Steve Rogers Cup boarded a Sharks gear van headed for Queensland and will go on the line at the Moreton Daily Stadium in Redcliffe.
At a ground which has never hosted an NRL game previously, let alone a clash bringing together two of the NRL’s fiercest rivals, Sunday’s game will see a significant piece of silverware up for grabs.
Named after a legend of the Cronulla club who was a first grade player at 18 and a member of the 1973 Grand Final side that same year, Steve Rogers went on to play 202 top grade games, captaining the Sharks in the 1978 Grand Final and the Grand Final replay that followed.
He represented NSW 21 times, Australia on 24 occasions, was a Rothman’s Medallist, Dally M Player of the Year and named as one of Australia's 100 Greatest Players (1908–2007) in a list commissioned by the NRL and ARL to celebrate the code's centenary year.
With many good friends at Manly, the late Bob Fulton, Max Krilich and Paul McCabe included amongst them, friendships made through his time in Kangaroo touring teams, the Steve Rogers Memorial Trophy came to fruition in 2006 with Manly claiming a two point in the inaugural staging of the match.
Since that first game the trophy was put up each time the teams met up, until the end of the 2010 season, where it was then contested just once a season, at the trophy holders’ home ground, however in May 2016 the two clubs agreed to return to the original format of playing for the trophy every time they meet in coinciding with the 10th anniversary of Steve's passing.
Manly hold a distinct advantage, having won 19 of the 24 matches played, but the Sharks currently hold the trophy and now they look to retain it on Sunday and to safely return the Steve Rogers Cup to the trophy cabinet at Sharks at Kareela.
Steve Rogers Memorial Trophy
Matches played 24: Manly 19, Cronulla 5
2020 - Rd 7: Cronulla 40 d Manly 22
2019 - Rd 10: Manly 24 d Cronulla 14
SF: Manly 28 d Cronulla 16
2018 - Rd 21: Manly 33 d Cronulla 32
2017 - Rd 16: Manly 35 d Cronulla 18
2016 - Rd 3: Manly 22 d Cronulla 12,
Rd 11: Cronulla 20 d Manly 12
2015 - Rd 26: Manly 14 d Cronulla 12;
Rd 17, Manly 28 d Cronulla 16.
2014 - Rd 6: Manly 24 d Cronulla 4,
Rd 15: Manly 26 d Cronulla 0
2013 - Rd 6: Manly 25 d Cronulla 18;
SF: Manly 24 d Cronulla 18
2012 - Rd 3: Cronulla 17 d Manly 14
2011 - Rd 5: Manly 19 d Cronulla 13
2010 - Rd 5: Manly 40 d Cronulla 12;
Rd 19: Manly 48 d Cronulla 18
2009 - Rd 19: Manly 32 d Cronulla 26:
Rd 25: Manly 18 d Cronulla 16
2008 - Rd 1: Cronulla 16 d Manly 10,
Rd 18: Manly 34 d Cronulla 6
2007 - Rd 19: Manly 29 d Cronulla 22
2006 - Rd 3: Manly 20 d Cronulla 18
Rd 16: Cronulla 15 d Manly 12
