As I recall it as an F/O, Bill Rodgers used to CALL gear down as per the manual- spoken words- "gear down".
So it may not have been him.
We had two Rogers/ Rodgers in MAL-
Rogers 1 and Rodgers 2.
Rogers 1, older, the great Barrie Rogers, used to do everything with style. Wore his pilots hat from sign on to sign off, putting the headphones over it. Even the way he held a cigarette was unusual- between thumb and forefinger.
His preferred signal for gear down was unspoken- Right hand clenched, thumb extended, flicking the wrist anticlockwise. That was gear down.
So your Captain that day probably was Rogers 1.
As for Peter. He was an F/O when I was there, permanent it was thought. Everyone knew why. May well have been reunited with the DC3 left hand seat, don't know. Great fun at the bar though.