Australian Football

AustralianFootball.com Celebrating the history of the great Australian game

 

Key Facts

Full name
Norman Angus Rogers

Known as
Norm Rogers

Born
7 May 1937 (age 86)

Senior clubs
East Fremantle

Hall of fame
Western Australian Football Hall Of Fame (2004)

Norm Rogers


ClubLeagueCareer spanGamesGoalsAvgWin %AKIAHBAMKBV
East FremantleWANFL1956-1967234360.15
Total1956-1967234360.15

According to erstwhile opponent and one time coaching colleague John Todd, as a footballer East Fremantle's Norm Rogers "was tough and relentless"¹, as well as being an extremely respected on-field leader. He belongs to that comparatively rare football cub which comprises players who won a Grand Final Simpson Medal despite playing in a losing side. He achieved that feat in 1964, against Claremont - a match Old Easts supporters would otherwise prefer to forget. As for Rogers, just about the only mistake he made all day consisted in allowing opponent Ian Brewer to elude his attentions for a split second deep into time-on and grab the easy chest mark from which he had little difficulty in putting his side in front on the scoreboard for the first time since late in the second term. The siren sounded moments later, and all Rogers' hard work had been to no avail; no doubt he would happily have offered Brewer half a dozen goals and perhaps even his Simpson in exchange for involvement in a flag. 

Fortunately, Rogers did not have long to wait, as in 1965 he was part of the Old East combination which came from behind to defeat Swan Districts on Grand Final day and secure the club's 21st open age premiership (reviewed here). Rogers came close to a Simpson Medal that day as well, with a superb all round performance, ostensibly across half back, but in reality almost everywhere in the backlines.

East Fremantle's best and fairest player in 1959, Norm Rogers played a total of 234 league games for the club he loved, and also represented Western Australia a remarkable 27 times. He was named an All Australian after the 1958 Melbourne carnival. In addition to the 1965 premiership he made a significant contribution to Old Easts' hard fought 16-point Grand Final win over East Perth in 1957. After retiring as a player, he served, albeit without success, as East Fremantle's senior coach for part of 1967 and the whole of 1968.

Author - John Devaney

Footnotes

  1. Celebrating 100 Years Of Tradition by Jack Lee, page 311.

Sources

Full Points Footy's WA Football Companion

Footnotes

* Behinds calculated from the 1965 season on.
+ Score at the end of extra time.