Jake Rogers | |||
---|---|---|---|
Personal information | |||
Full name | Jake Rogers | ||
Nickname(s) | Snake[1] | ||
Date of birth | 2 March 2005 | ||
Original team(s) | Broadbeach (QAFL) / Gold Coast Suns Academy (Talent League) | ||
Draft | No. 14, 2023 AFL draft | ||
Height | 172 cm (5 ft 8 in) | ||
Position(s) | Forward | ||
Club information | |||
Current club | Gold Coast | ||
Number | 29 | ||
Playing career1 | |||
Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
2024– | Gold Coast | 2 (1) | |
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of round 7, 2024. |
Jake Rogers is a professional Australian rules footballer who was selected by the Gold Coast Suns with the fourteenth pick in the 2023 AFL draft.[2]
Rogers was born in Melbourne to an Australian father and a South African mother.[3] He moved with his family to the Gold Coast at five years of age[4] and attended Varsity College throughout his upbringing.[5] Rogers began playing junior football for the first time shortly after arriving in Queensland when he signed up to play for the Broadbeach Cats in the local Gold Coast under-6s competition.[6] Rogers became a foundation member of the Gold Coast Suns when they entered the Australian Football League in 2011[7] and he joined the club's Academy at 13 years of age where he met future AFL teammates Jed Walter, Ethan Read and Will Graham.[8]
Along with Australian rules football, Rogers also played rugby league for his school in the position of fullback.[9] He made his senior QAFL debut for Broadbeach at 16 years of age in May 2021.[10] In 2022, his club form was rewarded with selection to represent the Allies in the U18 National Championships as well as the Gold Coast Suns Academy in the U19 Talent League.[11] His performances at the representative and club levels led to placement in the AFL's 30-player National Academy program on the eve of his draft year.[12]
In 2023, he moved into top 20 draft calculations when he was awarded the best on ground award in the AFL U18 Academy's victory over Carlton's VFL team[13] and also played a crucial role in the Allies' historic first U18 National Championship win which earned him a starting midfield position in the 2023 U18 All-Australian team.[14] Rogers was drafted to his hometown team the Gold Coast Suns with pick 14 in the 2023 AFL draft after the Suns elected to match a bid from the Sydney Swans.[15]
Rogers made his AFL debut for the Suns in round 6 of the 2024 season against the Sydney Swans at the Sydney Cricket Ground.[16]