By Adam Cooper
May 5, 2004
INJURED Wallabies fullback Mat Rogers has given his strongest indication yet that he will play out his football career in rugby rather than return to rugby league.
Off-contract with the Australian Rugby Union, Rogers is considering a return to the National Rugby League, most likely with his old club Cronulla, but today said he was "hoping to stay in the game (rugby) for the next three years".
Weighing on his decision is the fact that Rogers' next contract is likely to be the last of his career, and that the code he chooses will be the one he finishes in.
"I'm 28 now, so it will probably be my last contract," he said during a visit to Melbourne to promote next month's Test against Scotland at Telstra Dome.
"If I stay in rugby that'll be my goal, to play in the next rugby World Cup.
"It's not something that I just want to play for another year or two and then do a runner.
"If I commit to it I want to commit to it for the entire three years and hopefully be an integral part of that World Cup campaign in 2007 (in France)."
Rogers has a "whole raft of things" to consider when deciding upon, most notably the pressure the travel of rugby puts on his young family, and his ties with the NRL and the Sharks.
"It's no secret my dad's (Steve Rogers) the chief executive of the Cronulla Sharks," he said.
"I'm surrounded by league, I still live at Cronulla and I've got plenty of mates who play at the Sharks.
"The speculation is there and it's going to be there until a decision is made but I've really enjoyed rugby over the last three years and I'm hoping to stay in the game for the next three years.
"So we've got a few creases to iron out and once we do that hopefully I'll be able to sign some contracts and get underway."
Wallabies coach Eddie Jones denied there was a perception former league players such as Rogers and Lote Tuqiri - also considering returning to the NRL - switched codes solely to be a part of last year's World Cup.
"If they weren't such good footballers they wouldn't be in this position," Jones said.
"We can only put what we think is our best offer and offer what the sport gives the player and Matty and Lote have got to make their best decision."
Rogers, whose Super 12 season ended in March following surgery to an ankle injury, will spend another two weeks on crutches but hopes to be playing club rugby before the end of June.
He still hopes to be a part of the Wallabies' European tour at the end of the year.
"I'm sure I'll be fit by then, but whether I've got enough game time under my belt and enough quality game time under my belt to warrant that selection is another thing," he said.
AAP
http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,9477781-23217,00.html
