Former Australia rugby league captain Steve Rogers was found dead in his Sydney apartment, his club said on Tuesday.
Rogers (51) was general manager at National Rugby League club Cronulla Sharks, based in Sydney’s southern outskirts, and father of dual rugby league and rugby union international Mat Rogers.
Sharks football manager Greg Pierce said the news shocked the club.
”He’s been away on holidays in Europe … and was due back at work on Monday. It’s quite unbelievable the fact that he won’t be there,” Pierce was quoted as saying.
No cause of death was immediately released, although police said there were no suspicious circumstances.
A talented centre, Rogers played 202 games for Cronulla between 1973 and 1982 an in 1985 and 29 matches for St George in 1983/84.
He scored 1 253 points for Cronulla, including 82 tries and 502 goals.
After gaining selection for his first international tour at 18, he went on three Kangaroo tours and played 21 Test matches for Australia.
Australian Rugby League chairperson Colin Love said Rogers was ”one of the great champions of the game”.
”His death at 51 is first and foremost a human tragedy — but it’s such a tragedy too for rugby league and for Australian sport,” Love said in a statement. ”Players of such talent come along very rarely in any game — and ours will remember him as one of the greats.
”Notwithstanding his pure qualities as a footballer he will be remembered as much for the manner in which he played the game — always cleanly and fairly and in the true spirit of sportsmanship.”
Mat Rogers, who was due to rejoin the New South Wales Waratahs on Wednesday to prepare for the 2006 Super 14 competition, has been given compassionate leave by the Sydney franchise. — Sapa-AP