Jack Cogger
{{Short description|Australian rugby player (born 1997)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2016}}
{{Use Australian English|date=August 2016}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
|name = Jack Cogger
|fullname =
|image = Jack Cogger.jpg
|imagesize = 290
|caption =
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1997|8|5}}
|birth_place = Greenacre, New South Wales, Australia
|height = {{convert|176|cm|ftin|abbr=on}}
|weight = {{convert|90|kg|stlb|abbr=on}}
|position = {{rlp|FE|HB}}
|club1 = Newcastle Knights
|year1start = 2016
|year1end = 18
|appearances1 = 20
|tries1 = 1
|goals1 = 0
|fieldgoals1 = 0
|points1 = 4
|club2 = Canterbury Bulldogs
|year2start = 2019
|year2end = 20
|appearances2 = 22
|tries2 = 3
|goals2 = 0
|fieldgoals2 = 0
|points2 = 12
|club3 = Huddersfield Giants
|year3start = 2021
|year3end = 22
|appearances3 = 28
|tries3 = 1
|goals3 = 0
|fieldgoals3 = 1
|points3 = 5
|club4 = Penrith Panthers
|year4start = 2023
|year4end =
|appearances4 = 13
|tries4 = 0
|goals4 = 5
|fieldgoals4 = 1
|points4 = 11
|club5 = Newcastle Knights
|year5start = 2024
|year5end = present
|appearances5 = 28
|tries5 = 3
|goals5 = 0
|fieldgoals5 = 1
|points5 = 13
|updated = 14 June 2025
| module = {{infobox person
| embed = yes
| father = Trevor Cogger
| mother =
| spouse =
| education =
| alma_mater =
| relatives = John Cogger (uncle)
}}
}}
Jack Cogger (born 5 August 1997) is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a {{rlp|fe}} and {{rlp|hb}} for the Newcastle Knights in the National Rugby League (NRL).
He previously played for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and Penrith Panthers, where he won the 2023 NRL Grand Final, and the Huddersfield Giants in the Super League.
Background
Cogger was born in Greenacre, New South Wales, Australia. He is the son of former Western Suburbs Magpies player Trevor Cogger.{{cite web|author=Published by Rocco Luca|url=http://rugbyleagueweek.com.au/knights-re-sign-teenage-halves/|title=Knights Re-Sign Teenage Halves|publisher=Rugby League Week|date=2015-01-21|accessdate=2016-05-15}} He attended Mackillop Catholic College.{{Cite web |date=2014-11-21 |title=Schoolboys depart for European tour |url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2014/11/21/schoolboys-depart-for-european-tour/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230925204448/https://www.nrl.com/news/2014/11/21/schoolboys-depart-for-european-tour/ |archive-date=2023-09-25 |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=National Rugby League |language=en}}
Cogger played his junior rugby league for the Toukley Hawks{{citation needed|date=May 2024}}, before being signed by the Newcastle Knights.
Playing career
=Early years=
From 2014 to 2016, Cogger played for the Newcastle Knights' NYC team.{{cite web|url=https://nycdatabase.org/players/c/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150616154602/http://nycdatabase.org/players/c/|url-status=usurped|archive-date=16 June 2015|title=C|publisher=Nyc Database|date=|accessdate=2016-05-15}} In November and December 2014, he played for the Australian Schoolboys.{{cite web|url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/west/robert-jennings-picked-for-the-australian-schoolboys-rugby-league-team/story-fngr8j33-1227024148347|title=Robert Jennings picked for the Australian Schoolboys rugby league team|publisher=Dailytelegraph.com.au|accessdate=2015-04-23}} On 21 January 2015, he re-signed with the Knights on a contract to the end of 2016. On 27 August 2015, he extended his Knights contract until the end of 2018.{{cite web|author=NewcastleKnights.com.au|url=http://www.zerotackle.com/levi-and-cogger-extend-contracts-18754/#oYHCxyAx6PXrq7YI.97|title=Levi and Cogger extend contracts|publisher=Zero Tackle|date=2015-08-27|accessdate=2016-05-15}}
=2016=
In 2016, Cogger captained the Knights' NYC side.{{cite web|author=NRL|url=http://www.newcastleknights.com.au/news/2016/03/01/nyc_and_reserve_roun.html|title=NYC and Reserve Round 1 teams - Knights|publisher=Newcastleknights.com.au|date=|accessdate=2016-05-15}} In round 10 of the 2016 NRL season, he made his NRL debut for the Knights against the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks.{{cite web|url=http://www.nrl.com/updated-team-lists-sharks-v-knights/tabid/10874/newsid/95926/default.aspx|title=Updated team lists: Sharks v Knights|publisher=NRL.com|date=2016-02-28|accessdate=2016-05-15}}{{cite web|author=NRL|url=http://www.newcastleknights.com.au/news/2016/05/15/late_mail_knights_v_.af_news.html|title=LATE MAIL: Knights v Sharks - Knights|publisher=Newcastleknights.com.au|date=|accessdate=2016-05-15}} In July, he played for the New South Wales under-20s team against the Queensland under-20s team.{{cite web|author=NRL Digital Media |url=http://www.nswrl.com.au/news/2016/07/07/nsw_under_20s_team_a.html |title=NSW Under-20s Team Announcement |publisher=NSWRL |date= |accessdate=2017-07-23}} He went on to play 6 NRL games in his debut season.{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/matches/Custom/MTUtMTY3Ny00LS0tLS0tMjI3NDgtLS0tLS0tLS0tLS0t|title=Custom Match List - Rugby League Project|first=Shawn Dollin and Andrew|last=Ferguson|website=www.rugbyleagueproject.org|accessdate=26 April 2018}}
=2017=
After playing just one game for the Knights' Intrust Super Premiership NSW side, Cogger's 2017 season was derailed after having to undergo pelvis surgery.{{cite web|url=https://www.newcastleknights.com.au/news/2017/06/09/coggers-injury-return/|title=Cogger's injury return|date=6 October 2017|publisher=|accessdate=26 April 2018}} He made his return to the field in round 13 for the club's NYC side, while also playing two NRL matches at the end of the year.{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/matches/Custom/MTUtMTY5Ni00LS0tLS0tMjI3NDgtLS0tLS0tLS0tLS0t|title=Custom Match List - Rugby League Project|first=Shawn Dollin and Andrew|last=Ferguson|website=www.rugbyleagueproject.org|accessdate=26 April 2018}}
=2018=
In January, Cogger signed a 2-year contract with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs starting in 2019, after his pathway to first-grade for the Knights was blocked through the signings of Mitchell Pearce and Connor Watson.{{cite web|url=https://www.zerotackle.com/jack-cogger-signs-canterbury-31122/|title=Jack Cogger signs with Canterbury - Zero Tackle|date=17 January 2018|publisher=|accessdate=26 April 2018}} Cogger played his final game for the Knights in his side's 12–24 loss to the St. George Illawarra Dragons in round 25.{{cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/draw/nrl-premiership/2018/round-25/knights-vs-dragons/|title=Knights vs Dragons|website=National Rugby League|accessdate=1 September 2018}}
=2019=
Cogger made a total of 17 appearances for Canterbury in the 2019 NRL season as the club finished 12th on the table.
=2020=
On 22 September, Cogger was informed by Canterbury that his services would not be required in 2021 and that he would be released at the end of the 2020 NRL season as the club looked to rebuild after a horror year on and off the field.{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/teams/bulldogs/nrl-2020-canterburybankstown-bulldogs-announce-eight-player-departures-kieran-foran-aiden-tolman-full-list/news-story/67fbadc55112e80ee342e26861bd206d?fbclid=IwAR0j-ofZNc_yFpjOkCEKeXn5uCy1T8rVDj664RO64BlUqgZQl5547RSu6ZM/|title=Dogs confirm EIGHT-man clean-out in first glimpse of Barrett era|website=www.foxsports.com.au}}
In December 2020, Cogger signed a contract to join Huddersfield in the Super League.{{cite web|url=https://www.skysports.com/rugby-league/news/12196/12164327/super-league-the-nrl-recruits-moving-to-these-shores-for-the-2021-season/|title=The NRL recruits moving to these shores for the 2021 season|website=www.skysports.com}}
=2022=
On 28 May 2022, Cogger played for Huddersfield in their 2022 Challenge Cup Final loss to Wigan.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-league/61594770.amp/|title=Challenge Cup final: Huddersfield Giants 14-16 Wigan Warriors|website=www.bbc.co.uk}}
In October 2022, it was announced that Cogger had signed a one-year deal with the Penrith Panthers.{{cite web|url= https://www.penrithpanthers.com.au/news/2022/10/24/zac-hosking-and-jack-cogger-join-panthers/|title= Zac Hosking and Jack Cogger join Panthers|website=Penrith Panthers|date=24 October 2022|access-date=24 October 2022}}
=2023=
On 18 February, Cogger played in Penrith's 13–12 upset loss to St Helens RFC in the 2023 World Club Challenge. In round 14 of the 2023 NRL season, Cogger made his NRL club debut for Penrith in their 26–18 victory over St. George Illawarra.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/64692630/|title=St Helens: World Club Challenge win 'seismic for British rugby league'|website=www.bbc.co.uk}}
On 2 August, Cogger signed a three-year deal to re-join his former club Newcastle ahead of the 2024 NRL season.{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/nrl-2023-nrl-transfer-centre-jack-cogger-knights-jackson-hastings-jayden-sullivan-rugby-league-news-reaction/news-story/c97bcb3132b91c49054081621e778b01/|title=Cowboys lure playmaker home; Knights poach Souths forward, Panthers half: Transfer Centre|website=www.foxsports.com.au}}
Cogger played 13 games for Penrith in the 2023 NRL season including the club's 26–24 victory over Brisbane in the 2023 NRL Grand Final as Penrith won their third straight premiership.{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2023/oct/01/nrl-grand-final-2023-penrith-panthers-vs-brisbane-broncos-live-updates-scores-results-teams-squads-kick-off-time-accor-stadium-sydney/|title=NRL grand final 2023: Penrith Panthers defeat Brisbane Broncos – as it happened|website=www.theguardian.com}}
=2024=
In round 25 of the 2024 NRL season, Cogger scored two tries for Newcastle in their 36–16 victory over South Sydney.{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/nrl-2024-south-sydney-rabbitohs-vs-newcastle-knights-live-updates-score-stats-video-kalyn-ponga/news-story/7f89343b6db26bede877ccc8190d81af/|title=Ponga keeps Knights’ slim finals hopes alive after Souths star cops bizarre sin bin: What we learned|website=www.foxsports.com.au}}
Cogger played 17 games for Newcastle in the 2024 NRL season as the club finished 8th and qualified for the finals. They were eliminated in the first week of the finals by North Queensland.{{cite web|url=https://www.nine.com.au/sport/nrl/news-2024-the-mole-exclusive-newcastle-knights-season-review-adam-obrien-20240917-p5kb9j.html/|title=Brutal reality Newcastle must accept before solving confidence-killing 'riddle'|website=www.nine.com.au}}
Statistics
| class="wikitable"
|+ !Year !Team !Games !Tries !Goals !FGs !Pts |
| 2016
| rowspan="3" |{{Leagueicon|Newcastle|16}} Newcastle Knights |6 | | | | |
| 2017
|2 | | | | |
| 2018
|12 |1 | | |4 |
| 2019
| rowspan="2" |{{Leagueicon|Canterbury|16}} Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs |17 |3 | | |12 |
| 2020
|5 | | | | |
| 2021
| rowspan="2" |{{leagueicon|Huddersfield|16}} Huddersfield Giants |18 |1 | | |4 |
| 2022
|9 | | |1 |1 |
| 2023
|{{Leagueicon|Penrith|16}} Penrith Panthers |13 | |5 |1 |11 |
| 2024
| rowspan="2" |{{Leagueicon|Newcastle|16}} Newcastle Knights |17 |2 | | |8 |
| 2025
|4 | | | | |
| |Totals
|104 |7 |5 |2 |40 |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.newcastleknights.com.au/teams/nrl-premiership/newcastle-knights/jack-cogger/ Newcastle Knights profile]
- [https://www.penrithpanthers.com.au/teams/nrl-premiership/penrith-panthers/jack-cogger/ Penrith Panthers profile]
- [https://www.bulldogs.com.au/teams/telstra-premiership/canterbury-bankstown-bulldogs/jack-cogger/ Canterbury Bulldogs profile]
{{Newcastle Knights squad}}
{{Penrith Panthers squad 2023 NRL premiership}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cogger, Jack}}
Category:Australian rugby league players
Category:Australian expatriate rugby league players in England
Category:Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs players
Category:Huddersfield Giants players
Category:Newcastle Knights players
Category:Penrith Panthers players
Category:Rugby league five-eighths
Category:Rugby league halfbacks