Steve Roach /

Steve Roach
Year inducted: 2024
True Blue number: 783
Origin number: 55
Born: 24 April, 1962, Wollongong, NSW
Club: Balmain Tigers
Position: Prop
Premiership Career: (1982-92) 185 games, 12 tries, 48 points
First Grade debut: Balmain Tigers vs Canberra Raiders at Leichhardt Oval, Sydney on 9 May, 1982
Representative honours: Australia 20 Tests (1985-86, 1988-91), NSW 17 State of Origins (1984-86, 88, 1990-91) 
Other honours: NRL Hall of Fame 2008

Through the mid-1980s Balmain prop Steve ‘Blocker’ Roach was an automatic pick for New South Wales. He was the enforcer of the Blues’ pack, the one player his team-mates were forever thankful that he was on their side and not dishing out his fury in an opposing jersey.

Roach was the team’s undisputed Alpha male, who walked that fine line between fair and foul and occasionally over-stepped the mark. But his career was not defined by intimidation; Roach was blessed with elite ball skills and his ability to hold off defenders and release to support players was a feature of his game.

His imposing physical presence, combined with these skills earned him a long career at representative level. Roach played 17 Origin games for his state which included series victories in 1985, 1986 and 1990. And he toured twice with the Kangaroos and played 20 Tests in the green and gold. He was named one of the top 100 Australian players of the century in 2008.

-    David Middleton