Rogers’ Transformation is Complete

By Ken Casellas

For several years Bailey Rogers excelled as a tough and uncompromising lock-down defender until he changed direction three years ago and is now recognised as one of Western Australia’s elite midfielders.

The 27-year-old Rogers is a shining light and a super star with Claremont, and he will reach a significant milestone when he leads the Tigers into battle against East Perth at Revo Fitness Stadium on Saturday.

This will be his 150th league appearance for Claremont, a distinguished football journey which has seen him dogged by a series of debilitating injuries, and it is a measure of the man who has steadfastly refused to utter a complaining word.

He gets on with the job with a minimum of fuss despite his injury misfortunes, which include multiple fractures in his left femur and knee, suffering from sesamoiditis, a painful affliction of the foot, and Achilles problems in both legs.

“My body has given me a fair bit of grief over the years,” he said. “I have had problems with my foot since I was 17. This has hampered me a lot, and I have had to deal with it for ten years. In the past few years my Achilles have given me a fair bit of trouble and there have been dark days when they flared up.

“But they’re pretty good at the moment and I haven’t missed a game this year, which was a goal of mine. Over the years I’ve had hundreds of injections --- for my foot, ankle, toe and Achilles. You name it, and I’ve got to thank Dr Lionel Lim a great deal for getting me fit to play.

“Football is a tough game and there is always something going on. Everyone goes through it.”

Rogers said that it was in 2020 when he wanted to move out of defence and take his game to the next level. “When Ash Prescott (coach) returned to the club in 2021 I took it as a good opportunity to elevate my game, and I spoke to Ash as soon as he was appointed, and he was keen for me to move into the midfield.

“He has helped me so much to transform from half-back to the midfield. I am still learning a lot and I’m not the perfect midfielder. But I’m enjoying the role. I also like to go forward and have a breather and hopefully get on the scoreboard.

“I have been fortunate to have played with Jye Bolton, who has taught me a hell of a lot. He took me under his wing, pretty much and we’re great mates off and on the field.”

Rogers played his junior football with the Marist club and was a colts players for the Tigers when he was 16 in 2013 when he was a member of the premiership side that year under coach Ben Dyer.

He also played for the colts when the side was beaten in the 2014 grand final before he enjoyed another premiership with the colts in 2015. It was in those early days that Rogers was a prominent performer in the WA 16’s and 18’s sides, and he made his league debut in 2015 in the round 21 match against East Fremantle at the Showgrounds.

Rogers has sad memories of the league grand finals when the Tigers were beaten by three points by South Fremantle in 2020 and by two goals by West Perth two years later.

“Every year that goes by you regret a couple of things that happened on the day,” he said. “It’s an honour to play 150 games for Claremont, and this year is probably my favourite year --- with the group of people, the coaches and support staff. It’s a great place to be.

“Time passes quickly, and we are well aware that we can’t lose another match this year. It’s a tight competition among the top six sides, and we’re sitting sixth. We meet two of the best teams (East Perth and Peel Thunder) in the next two weeks.

“We truly believe that our best is good enough; we have matched it with the top sides this season. We have got to come out on the day and put four quarters together.”

Rogers holds a special place with the Tigers. He won the E. B. Cook Medal as the league side’s fairest and best player in 2021, the year he won the Sandover Medal as the WAFL’s best player when he polled 30 votes and beat Bolton, the 2016 and 2018 Sandover medallist by five votes.

These champion midfielders belong to an exclusive club as two of the 13 Claremont Sandover medallists. Individual accolades are great, but both enjoy team success well ahead of personal glory.