Senior Deven Robertson (2019-)
- Thread starter Dylan12
- Start date
- Tagged users None
ZoBlitz
The Ghost Who Walks
- Moderator
- #77
Robertson Poised for Next Steps in '23
2023 is set to be an intriguing year for Deven Robertson.
Having been in and out of Chris Fagan’s side for the first half of the 2022 season, Robertson capitalised on his opportunities when handed them.
Starting the season in the VFL side, the 21-year-old averaged 23.2 disposals in his first five matches, including a standout Round 6 performance at the SCG against Sydney.
In an experienced midfield consisting of Mitch Robinson, Rhys Mathieson, Tom Berry and prospective number one pick, Will Ashcroft, Robertson was a class above.
Finishing with 24 disposals, nine tackles, seven clearances and two goals, the West Australian showed his physical class around the contest and his ability to damage the scoreboard, a resource that was relatively untapped until this year.
While he was an unused medical sub in Round 4 against Geelong, Robertson earned his first official call up of the year in Round 11 against GWS and did not waste his chances.
Damaging with ball in hand, the young mid kicked two goals from 17 touches and played a part in seven score involvements.
An unlucky omission following Brisbane’s loss to Melbourne in Round 15, Robertson returned to the VFL and was a key contributor in Brisbane’s upset win over previously undefeated Casey, finishing with 30 touches and three goals.
However, it was his work in the Finals series that showed glimpses of the player he can become.
Tasked with shutting down dangerous Richmond mid, Dion Prestia, Robertson kept the livewire to just 12 touches until half-time while collecting 12 touches of his own and kicking a crucial goal for Brisbane late in the third quarter.
A week later, the West Australian was tasked with one of AFL’s biggest jobs, shutting down Clayton Oliver in the first half of Brisbane's semi-final at the MCG.
Robertson was physical at the stoppage and showcased his trademark ‘in and under’ work ethic, laying an equal game-high seven tackles and using the ball at an impressive 78.6% efficiency rate.
He took that form into Brisbane’s Preliminary Final loss and was one of the Lions strongest performers with another game-high tackle count and 17 possessions.
At times, Robertson’s defensive efforts halted opposition momentum and increased the Lions midfield pressure noticeably.
It creates a welcome selection headache heading into the 2023 campaign and a massive pre-season as the Lions coaches figure out how their star-studded midfield looks.
ZoBlitz
The Ghost Who Walks
ZoBlitz
The Ghost Who Walks
ZoBlitz
The Ghost Who Walks
- Moderator
- #80
Bizarre chain of events leaves Lion shirtless in wild scenes
A fiery Deven Robertson sees his jumper eventually ripped off completely after enduring one too many tackles
ZoBlitz
The Ghost Who Walks
- Moderator
- #81
Here's to you, Mr Robertson: Unexpected Insta star focused on footy
OF ALL the stats to leap off the page from a wild weekend of football, Deven Robertson surging from 11,000 followers on Instagram to more than 40,000 – and counting – in the space of three days had to be the most unforeseen, inconsequential and widely circulated of them all.
This is what happens when your guernsey is ripped off your body on the Friday night stage and you remain on the ground for more than three minutes before a replacement can be found.
Robertson was left in a state of undress in front of 38,350 people inside Marvel Stadium and hundreds of thousands at home while he waited for Brisbane’s doctor Sherwin Goh to retrieve his GPS from the torn jumper, squeeze it in the new one and fit the jumper back on the West Australian, much to the amusement of the public and teammates.
"I was mostly getting heckled by my own teammates," Robertson told AFL.com.au on Friday night after the 24-point win over Collingwood. "That's when you know you're in trouble. Cam Rayner was the main one giving it to me.
"I was just trying to get a replacement, to be honest. I was a bit worried. It came off pretty easy. It was like a wet paper towel. It was just yanked off."
The viral moment sent social media into a frenzy that is only just starting to recede. Breakfast television stables Sunrise and Today have submitted requests to interview Robertson. Triple M, SEN and almost every radio station across the country also want to speak to him. But if the demure, softly spoken midfielder has his way, he won't speak about the matter any time soon.
Brisbane coach Chris Fagan has been involved in the game for the best part of four decades and seen almost everything, but even the 62-year-old couldn't help but let a smirk spread across his face post game when asked about the incident.
"I haven't seen that before," Fagan said. "I suppose if I had the build Deven Robertson's got, I would be pretty happy running around for a couple of minutes with no top on. I'm sure that those who like that sort of thing in the audience would have liked it, too."
Friday night was the most important home and away game of Fagan's seven seasons in Queensland. The equation was simple: beat Collingwood and take a huge step towards hosting two home finals at the Gabba. The Lions returned home on Saturday with that mission accomplished.
"We came down here with a clear goal in mind: to win and solidify a top-two spot, which we are gunning for. We definitely came down here for business and we got it done," Robertson said.
"It gives us a lot of confidence going into a finals series. There have been times throughout the year where we've learnt some tough lessons in close games. I feel like tonight we really showed we're learning these lessons on the go, which is really pleasing and something 'Fages' will be pleased with. We're ready to go now come finals."
Robertson's profile has exploded in recent days, but the focus on him is set to amplify at the end of the season. West Coast has been pursuing the out-of-contract West Australian for more than 12 months and hopes to lure him home in October with the prospect of greater midfield opportunity.
Brisbane has an offer on the table and are desperate to retain the highly rated midfielder. The 22-year-old managed only three appearances in the first three months of the season but has played nine of the past 11 – two as the sub – taking him to 37 across his first four seasons since being selected with the first pick of the second round in 2019.
"I'm still trying to get a game every week. I've been pretty versatile and open-minded about playing different roles. I'm trying to do everything I can to keep my spot. Wherever the team needs me, I'm happy to go," he said.
"It is tough (on the fringe). You do ride a rollercoaster a little bit with the ups and downs. A good win like this and being a part of a win like that definitely outweighs some of the downside of it."
West Coast great Darren Glass has been part of Roberton's journey well before Brisbane picked him nearly four years ago. The four-time All-Australian defender and three-time best and fairest winner is Robertson's uncle and has served as a confidante.
"He has been really influential on me," Robertson said. "He has been quite involved in my career.
"He was a big inspiration going up watching him play, he has really driven me to get to where I am in the AFL system. He has been a big helping hand as life as a footballer now."
After a weekend that saw an unexpected – and unwanted – spike in profile, Robertson's star will continue to soar if he can play a role in guiding Brisbane to its first premiership in two decades.
ZoBlitz
The Ghost Who Walks
- Moderator
- #82
Deven's Famous Torn Guernsey Going To Auction For Special Cause
Deven Robertson's famous torn guernsey will live on, to raise money for a cause close to the heart of his Brisbane teammate Jarrod Berry.
Robertson, the 22-year-old Lions midfielder, turned into an overnight sensation in the round 23 win against Collingwood when he played for two minutes topless after having his guernsey ripped off.
The young West Australian saw his Instagram account skyrocket from 11,000 followers to in excess of 71,000 following the incident. He is now the most followed player on Brisbane's list.
Now the torn apparel will go to auction at Brisbane's Hall of Fame dinner on Wednesday night, with the proceeds going to the Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA).
BCNA is an organisation dear to the heart of Berry, who lost his mother Jedda to cancer.
Brisbane's rugged wingman will run a marathon on November 11 back into his hometown of Horsham alongside brothers Tom and Joel and their two best mates to bring awareness to the cause.
Speaking on Tuesday morning, Berry said Robertson's gesture meant a lot to him.
"He asked if we'd auction it off and donate the money, so it's pretty special by Dev," he said.
"It's 10 years since mum passed.
"It's not so much about the money this year, it's more about her legacy she left with us three boys and our two best mates … we want to bring the community together and celebrate some of the life lessons she taught us.
"Running a marathon personifies a few of those; resilience, hard work, grit, that's why we're doing it."
Berry said BCNA was a huge support during his mother's chemotherapy and battle with the disease.
In 2018, he shaved his head to raise $60,000 for the organisation.
"She had a seven- or eight-year battle that started with breast cancer and spread through her body," he said.
"Never once was there a complaint made. It was always, 'Get on with the job and take a positive out of a negative situation'.
"We want to put ourselves in that scenario and show why we learned those lessons off mum.
"Mum text me from the hospital bed and said: 'Get up and do something, don't waste your talent'.
"That's where I learned to work hard and hopefully people can see that when I'm on the field."
ZoBlitz
The Ghost Who Walks
- Moderator
- #83
AFL grand final parade 2023: All the photos, videos and action as Collingwood and Brisbane hit the streets
It has been a long way from the quietest of debuts to star status for Deven Robertson as the fan favourite continues to be inundated with requests to show off his famous rig.
The young Lion became Insta-famous earlier this year when his jumper was ripped off during a game against Collingwood and he said he couldn’t count the requests for him to show a bit of skin during Friday’s grand final parade.
“Me and Cal (Ah Chee) tried counting how many times we heard the comment about my shirt, we gave up at about 50 two minutes in,” he said.
Robertson, 22, exploded on social media after the jumper incident, soaring to more than 90,000 followers.
It is a far cry from his debut in round 1, 2020 which was one of the first games played at the MCG in front of no fans due to Covid.
On Friday morning, nearly 10,000 Lions fans packed in the ’G to watch the team go through its captain’s run before the grand final.
“There was a lot more there than my debut, I debuted there in front of zero (fans) in the Covid year but there was definitely a really good turnout for the captain’s run,” he said.
ZoBlitz
The Ghost Who Walks
- Moderator
- #86
Dev-eloping Midfielder Commits Future To Lions
Brisbane Lions midfielder Deven Robertson has signed a new two-year deal to remain at Brighton Homes Arena until at least the end of the 2025 season.
The 22-year-old re-committed to the Lions despite interest from rival Clubs, including a potential return home to Western Australia.
Robertson, the Lions first pick in the 2019 NAB AFL Draft with selection 22, played 13 home and away games for Brisbane this season before lining up in all three finals - including last week’s Grand Final.
Lions List Manager, Dom Ambrogio, said the Club was rapt to have Robertson staying in Brisbane.
“It great to have Dev re-sign with us and it is again a credit to the Club to be a place players want to come to and want to stay at,” he said.
“Dev is an exciting young talent who we believe will be a key part of our future and he showed this season that he is continuing to develop.
“We look forward to seeing what Dev can achieve in the next two years and the role we see him playing in the future success of the Brisbane Lions.”
Robertson, who captained Western Australia in the Under-18 Championships and won the Larke Medal as the best player in the series in 2019, said he is thrilled to remain a Lion.
Fresh off his 13 disposals, three marks and one goal in the Grand Final, the young midfielder explained his reasons for staying with the Club and what he hopes to achieve in the next two years.
“We have such a special group and I want to be a part of what we are building towards,” Roberston said.
“For me personally I feel like I am developing as a player who can contribute consistently, and I want to keep working hard to become the best player I can be.
“I love the people at the Club and the drive that everyone has to succeed and no doubt over the next two years myself along with all other staff and players will be striving to win a premiership.
Robertson’s signing follows on from teammates Conor McKenna, Darcy Wilmot and Kai Lohmann who all recently put pen to paper to stay at the Brisbane Lions.
ZoBlitz
The Ghost Who Walks
- Moderator
- #87
Brisbane Lions to take cautious approach to midfielder Deven Robertson after second off-season surgery
