Mat Rogers

Mathew Steve "Mat" Rogers is a contestant from Australian Survivor: Champions v Contenders (2018) and Australian Survivor: All Stars.

Known for his season-long rivalry with Robbie Skibicki in 2018, Mat began the game in the majority, and formed many genuine friendships, mainly with Steve Willis and Sharn Coombes, as well as finding a Hidden Immunity Idol with Moana Hope. Upon merge, Mat played a much more aggressive, yet loyal game, leading the blindsides of former allies Lydia Lassila and Samuel Hinton. Unfortunately, this led to his own blindside, led by Benji Wilson, who infamously managed to prevent Sharn from playing her idol on Mat.

Mat was far more unlucky in All Stars. He began the game in the minority following Jericho Malabonga's elimination. After finding an idol, Mat worked with rival David Genat to successfully take out Daisy Richardson. However, after the Tribe Switch, Mat was left stranded with no allies, and despite successfully playing yet another idol, he was eventually taken out as the last player left in the minority.

Profile

Retrieved from 10play.com.au

Australian Survivor

Champions v Contenders

Mat was a key part of the majority Champions alliance, forming particularly strong bonds with Moana Hope, Sharn Coombes, and Steve Willis as well as solid working relationships with Samuel Hinton and Lydia Lassila to have a majority. Mat's leadership in challenges along with his individual performances, notably against Robbie Skibicki of the Contenders, helped the Champions go into the swap with numbers. Initially playing a quite game and focusing on challenge strength, Mat became more strategic and cutthroat as the game progressed. Mat remained on the Champions tribe after the Tribe Switch where he had good relationships with Samuel, Steve W., and Shane Gould (though he contributed to flushing Shane's Hidden Immunity Idol at a previous Tribal Council) but had to maneuver the Contenders pair of Tegan Gasior and Shonee Fairfax as well as previous Champions outsiders Jackie Glazier and Brian Lake. Though the outsiders became aware of Mat leading the alliance in power, the two pairs outside of Mat's alliance targeted each other, allowing Mat to enter the merge in a good position.

Mat became labeled as the "godfather" of the Champions alliance after he contributed to Lydia's blindside, and a new strategic rivalry between him and Benji Wilson developed. Benji talked to whoever he could in an attempt to usurp Mat's power, but for the time being, Mat's alliance stood firm and took out anyone who would work with Benji, namely Robbie and Samuel. At the final 9, Brian and Monika Radulovic began to consider making their move against Mat, joining Benji, Shonee, and Fenella McGowan's counter alliance. Mat and Sharn each had an idol, and though the majority of the votes were coming Mat's way on Day 37, it appeared that Sharn's idol play would keep Mat in the game and eliminate one of Mat's long time targets in Brian. However, Benji managed to convince Sharn at the last second to play the idol on herself, which turned out to be a waste. Mat was voted out 5-4 that night, becoming the third member of the jury.

At Final Tribal Council, Mat's elimination was a significant topic in assessing if Sharn was worthy of winning the game, since not only did she misplay her idol but Brian also interpreted it as contradictory to her loyalty argument. Mat cast a crucial vote for Shane to win, praising Shane for her honesty.

All Stars

Though Mat tried to deflect credit for Lydia's blindside in the opening conversation, he was still thrust into the spotlight as the leader of one of the two warring alliances on Vakama. Mat's alliance of Moana, Jacqui Patterson, Tarzan Herlaar, and Jericho Malabonga was outnumbered by the rival alliance led by Locky Gilbert and David Genat. Mat's attempts to flip Phoebe Timmins and AK Knight failed as the rival alliance succeeded in voting out Jericho on Day 5. Feeling vulnerable, Mat asked Henry Nicholson for the idol which was set to expire in the following Tribal Council. Vakama would lose on Day 7 and Mat received the idol. Mat and David bartered with each other to take out each other's alliances while secretly working together. David instructed Mat to play his idol on Jacqui but only if Mat's alliance voted for Daisy. In doing so, David flushes Mat's idol, settles a vendetta against Daisy, and keeps his numbers. Mat follows through with the plan, eliminating Daisy and closing the gap between the alliances 6-4. Mat quickly found another Hidden Immunity Idol following Vakama's Reward Challenge victory, albeit publically in front of the other alliance. Mat rubbed his safety in Locky's face, compounding the latter's frustration.

The Tribe Switch gave Mat a tough situation to navigate. David, Jacqui, Moana, and Tarzan were all placed on the opposite tribe and he was stuck with Locky and three of his closest allies. Mat stuck with them out of necessity as the Vakama alliance recruited Shonee and Harry Hills in targeting Abbey Holmes and her allies. As Vakama continued to lose challenges, Mat became nervous as he knew he was the next target after that Mokuta alliance was wiped out. With eight players remaining on the tribe, Mat anticipated a split vote coming his way, so he recruited John Eastoe, Harry, Shonee, and Flick Egginton in an attempt to vote out Locky. While each of them realized Locky was in a powerful position, they felt it was too early to make a move. The split vote went as planned, Mat played his idol to negate 3 votes against him, and John was voted out. Mat continued to fight for his spot in the game claiming they needed him for challenge strength. Ultimately, the other six Vakama members were too close to budge and Mat was voted out on Day 22.

Post-Survivor

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Trivia

References

Australian Survivor: Champions v Contenders (2018) Castaways
Anita Contenders	Benji Contenders	Brian Champions	Damien Champions	Fenella Contenders	Heath Contenders	Jackie Champions	Jenna Contenders
Lydia Champions	Mat Champions	Matt Contenders	Moana Champions	Monika Champions	Paige Contenders	Robbie Contenders	Russell Champions
Samuel Champions	Shane Champions	Sharn Champions	Shonee Contenders	Steve K. Contenders	Steve W. Champions	Tegan Contenders	Zach Contenders

Australian Survivor: All Stars Castaways
AK Vakama	Abbey Mokuta	Brooke Vakama	Daisy Vakama	David Vakama	Flick Vakama	Harry Mokuta	Henry Mokuta
Jacqui Vakama	Jericho Vakama	John Mokuta	Lee Mokuta	Locky Vakama	Lydia Mokuta	Mat Vakama	Michelle Mokuta
Moana Vakama	Nick Mokuta	Phoebe Vakama	Shane Mokuta	Sharn Mokuta	Shonee Mokuta	Tarzan Vakama	Zach Mokuta