{{short description|Australian rugby league footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2024}} {{Use Australian English|date=March 2024}} {{for|the English trade unionist|John Cogger (trade unionist)}} {{Infobox rugby league biography |name = John Cogger |fullname = |nickname = |image = |imagesize = |caption = |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1963|4|26|df=y}} |birth_place = Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |death_date = |height = |weight = |position = {{rlp|LK}} |club1 = Western Suburbs |year1start = 1983 |year1end = 86 |appearances1 = 21 |tries1 = 1 |goals1 = 0 |fieldgoals1 = 0 |points1 = 4 |club2 = Runcorn Highfield |year2start = 1986 |year2end = 89 |appearances2 = 62 |tries2 = 34 |goals2 = 0 |fieldgoals2 = 0 |points2 = 136 |club3 = Oldham |year3start = 1989 |year3end = 91 |appearances3 = 62 |tries3 = 31 |goals3 = 0 |fieldgoals3 = 0 |points3 = 124 |retired = yes |source = <ref>{{cite web |title=John Cogger - Playing Career |url=https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/john-cogger/summary.html |website=Rugby League Project |access-date=14 March 2024}}</ref> | module = {{infobox person | embed = yes | father = | mother = | spouse = | education = | alma_mater = | relatives = Trevor Cogger (brother)<br>Jack Cogger (nephew) }} }}
'''John Cogger''' (born 26 April 1963) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played as a {{rlp|lk}}. He played at club level for Western Suburbs, Runcorn Highfield and Oldham.
==Playing career== ===Australia=== Cogger made his first grade debut for Western Suburbs in 1983. He suffered a broken jaw in a match against Balmain early in 1985, which ruled him out for the rest of the year.<ref name="totalrl">{{cite web |title=Rugby League Heroes: John Cogger |url=https://www.totalrl.com/rugby-league-heroes-john-cogger/ |website=Total Rugby League |access-date=14 March 2024 |date=13 April 2022}}</ref>
===England=== Cogger moved to England in 1986, joining Second Division club Runcorn Highfield. He was named Division Two Player of the Year in 1987.<ref name="totalrl" /> He played in the club's heavy defeat to Wigan in the first round of the 1988–89 John Player Special Trophy, with most of Runcorn's professional players having gone on strike.<ref>{{cite news |title=Historic encounter but it wasn't a game |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/110613999 |work=The Canberra Times |date=15 November 1988 |page=20 |via=Trove}}</ref> In 1989, he briefly served as caretaker coach at the club following the departure of Bill Ashurst.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Fitzpatrick |first1=Paul |title=Ashurst quits struggling Runcorn |work=The Guardian |date=4 January 1989 |location=London |page=15 |id={{ProQuest|186841626}}}}</ref>
Cogger joined Oldham in February 1989, and was appointed as the club's captain.<ref>{{cite news |last1=McNamara |first1=Jack |title=It's Captain Cogger |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0004985/19890301/055/0055 |work=Manchester Evening News |date=1 March 1989 |page=55 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription}}</ref> During the 1989–90 season, he helped the club reach the 1989–90 Lancashire Cup final and 1989–90 Challenge Cup semi-final, narrowly losing to Warrington on both occasions.
==Personal life== John Cogger is the brother of Trevor Cogger, who also played rugby league for Western Suburbs. His nephew, Jack Cogger, has played for several clubs in the National Rugby League and Super League.
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[https://orl-heritagetrust.org.uk/player/john-cogger/ Profile] at Oldham Rugby League Heritage Trust
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cogger, John}} Category:1963 births Category:Living people Category:Australian rugby league players Category:Liverpool City (rugby league) players Category:Oldham R.L.F.C. players Category:Rugby league locks Category:Rugby league players from Sydney Category:Western Suburbs Magpies players Category:20th-century Australian sportsmen