A win in the third Test will secure the series for the home side and captain Michael Clarke decided to bat after winning the toss, hoping to expose England to a long day in the field in searing heat.
After a positive start, Australia hit their first hurdle when Rogers was run out by a direct hit from Jimmy Anderson for 11.
The opener pushed the ball to mid-on and set off for the quick single, but Anderson gathered and hit the stumps at the bowler's end with the Australian just short of his ground with only 13 runs on the board.
It was an important scalp for England, with the ball barely beating the bat in the opening session and both David Warner and Shane Watson looking in excellent touch.
Watson was then caught in the slips by Graeme Swann off the bowling off Stuart Broad for 18 to leave Australia on 52 for two.
Australia, who won the first two Tests in the five-match series, named an unchanged line-up with pace bowler Ryan Harris selected despite struggling with a sore knee in the lead-up.
The tourists made just one change from the team beaten in the second Test in Adelaide, with seamer Tim Bresnan returning from an injury lay-off at the expense of spinner Monty Panesar.
Australia won the first Test in Brisbane by 381 runs and the second Test in Adelaide by 218 runs.
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