It has taken seven years of battling in the lower ranks to earn his chance, and now Josh Rogers has been assigned one of rugby league’s most daunting jobs: rescuing the Broncos from the doldrums.
The Brisbane glamour club is in the midst of a halfback crisis, owing to long-term injuries to skipper Adam Reynolds (ruptured biceps), Jock Madden (hamstring) and teenager Coby Black (thumb).
It has left Rogers as the last man standing, who will play just his third NRL game on the back of securing an upgrade into the club’s top 30 roster.
A defeat to the Dragons on Saturday – without State of Origin cohort Pat Carrigan, Payne Haas and Reece Walsh – would mark the Broncos’ sixth-straight loss, and they could also be forced to fight without edge forward Brendan Piakura.
The 21-year-old suffered an ankle injury in Queensland Maroons camp on Thursday, and while Broncos coach Kevin Walters said he was confident he would play, rookie prop Va’a Semu is on standby to make his debut.
As for Rogers, Walters confirmed the 28-year-old could push ahead of the queue in the race to become Reynolds’ successor, with the skipper not due back until round 22.
“Certainly, he has a great opportunity,” Walters said.
“I have all confidence in Josh that he can get the job done, particularly with his kicking game. It is very important that we get the right kicks at the right times, and Josh will play a big part in that.
“I am pretty confident Brendan will be right, we just have to see how he is in the morning.
“It is about Brendan’s mindset as well, whether he can play through the pain and get it done, which I am sure he can.”
Rogers showed impressive signs in his last Broncos’ outing – a 30-14 triumph of Parramatta in round 10, in which he kicked for 549 metres – while his running game has hit new heights for Burleigh in the Queensland Cup, averaging 106 metres an outing this year.
It is Rogers’ boot that looms as his greatest – and most vital – weapon, one which has Broncos forward Jordan Riki hopeful the side’s losing streak is coming to an end.
Riki, who returns from a two-week suspension for hitting Rabbitohs skipper Cameron Murray off the ball, established himself as the Broncos leading kick chaser en route to the 2023 grand final – a trait he believed would prove crucial in salvaging their campaign.
“I have been practising with [Rogers] on the kick-chase, and it will be massive and beneficial for the team if I can get down there and keep them in their red line,” Riki said.
“I felt like I let the club and the fans down a couple of weeks ago. It was just a bit of a brain snap and sitting out those couple of weeks really hurt.
“I definitely want to repay them and come back firing and bring energy like I can.”
Sydney Morning Herald
