While he has hardly been able to train with his Burleigh side all season, Broncos five-eighth Josh Rogers will be a key figure as they attempt to claim this year’s NRL State Championship.
Last Saturday, he was pivotal in helping the Bears claim the Hostplus Cup grand final, named as the Duncan Hall Medal winner for player of the match as Burleigh claimed their fifth title after downing Norths Devils 22-8.
This week, Rogers – alongside fellow Bears affiliated Bronco Fletcher Baker – has experienced a different sort of build up to NRL grand final day, running against the game day team in the Mustangs at training, as well as preparing for the Bears to face NSW Cup winners the Warriors in Sunday’s opening match.
Josh Rogers accepts the Duncan Hall Medal as player of the match in the Hostplus Cup 2025 grand final.
©Christian Simms / QRL
“It’s easy,” Rogers said of fitting in with the Bears team, where he made his Cup debut in 2018.
“I have played 100 games with them now, so we have a great connection.”
Broncos coach Michael Maguire said it was important the club had strong relationships with their affiliate sides, which this season also included Wynnum Manly Seagulls and Souths Logan Magpies, and expected his players to buy in to their feeder teams.
Grand final wingers Deine Mariner and Josiah Karapani both spent time with the Bears this year to rediscover their form, while Tyson Smoothy started the season playing lock with Souths Logan Magpies.
“We all work together to try and achieve and it’s nice to see that everyone’s getting some rewards off the back of that,” Maguire told NRL.com.
“One thing the group has been really good at is we pick a 17, but it’s everyone, so everyone was out there on the field …
“It’s all the work and that’s the culture that we’re all working hard towards.
“I keep saying that there’s so much more in this group because it’s just in the infancy of what we’re trying to achieve, but it’s nice to be in these positions …
Fletcher Baker in action for the Broncos earlier this season.
©Chloe Davis / NRL Images
“It was really nice to see Burleigh and Burty [Bears coach Luke Burt] and the team (get the Queensland Cup victory).
“Burty’s done a great job being able to create what he’s got there.
“(Rogers) went out and really stood up and controlled the game and I thought the whole team played well.
“Josh was able to play his part and kicked them around the park and steered them around the park and came up with some good tries.
“He’s helped two teams hasn’t he, he’s helped us, and he’s helped Burleigh, so it’s a real credit to him.”
Josh Rogers playing for the Broncos against the Storm in 2024.
©Scott Davis / NRL Images
In their quest to claim back-to-back wins for Queensland-based teams in the NRL State Championship for the first time since the 2014-2015, the Bears however face a formidable challenge.
The Warriors boast an impressive line-up and coming into the game off a record-breaking season.
Led by former Burleigh Bears Taine Tuaupiki at fullback and Tanah Boyd – who claimed player of the match honours in their grand final win over the Dragons – at halfback, the Warriors claimed the minor premiership after winning a record 16 games in a row.
On the other side of the coin, Burleigh hooker Paul Roache played two seasons with the Warriors in reserve grade; debuting for the Warriors NRL side in 2023.
Sunday’s match will be Burleigh’s third State Championship appearance, after playing and losing in 2016 and 2019 to the Illawarra Cutters and Newtown Jets respectively.
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How they got here: Warriors
Bears coach Luke Burt said after overcoming the odds in the Queensland grand final after losing his fullback Creedence Toia and an early injury to halfback Guy Hamilton who played through, the side would refocus quickly for their next game.
“The boys just kept turning up and turning up defensively in spots just to nullify the Norths attack and their threats and I was so proud of how they combined really, really well, it’s phenomenal,” Burt said.
“Joshy Rogers, wow, phenomenal, I thought he was fantastic.
“It was his 100th game and he deserved every bit of success he got.
“He was so good for us, came up with some really big plays. A deserving winner of the player of the match.
“It’s important that we go down there and put a good showing up for Queensland and the QRL.
“We’ll be really keen to that …. We haven’t won a championship with the Bears here, so we’d love to make this one the first.”