Past Player Of The Week: Colin Robertson

[Jane Doe]

DOB:19/6/57
Height: 182 cm
Weight: 81 kg

Recruited From: Wynyard (Tasmania)
Debut: Round 3 1980 V Collingwood

Games: 116
Goals: 62

Departed: Returned to Tasmania at the end of the 1986 Season.

A hard running player, Robertson was a versatile footballer who could play across half back, on wing or on the ball. Robertson spent six seasons with Tasmanian club Wynyard, playing in premierships with the club in 1975 and 1979 before joining Hawthorn the following season. Robertson became a key part of the club's dominance during the early 1980s. In the 1983 VFL Grand Final he became the first Tasmanian to win the Norm Smith Medal after a superb tagging job on Essendon's dangerous rover Tim Watson.

In June 2011 Robertson was upgraded to Legend status in the Tasmanian Football Hall of Fame

Where is he now? Working in real estate in Tasmania

 

[Procrastinator35]

Great idea this Jane Doe.....Love ya work.

One of my all time favs was Robbo....Supremely gifted & balanced footballer. Had a blistering turn of speed, incredible agility & could blind turn an opponent at top pace. Also took some absolute ripper speckies.....Could do it all really....A GUN....And another Taswegian to boot.

The fact he also floored Watson in the 83 Premiership, (Who cried like a girl both during & after the game about it) Was yet another string to his already quivering bow!

 

[langers1971]

Fantastic player was Robbo, often mistaken for John Kennedy by the commentators.

His final game was the 1986 2nd semi final loss to Carlton, i often wonder if we had won that 2nd semi final, if the number 32 would have played in the Grand Final of 1986? he retired after that season and went back to coaching in Tassie. A massive talent for us.

 

[Davo23]

Ah Robbo, had beautiful, sticky hands.
He could pluck the ball out of the air at top speed and he was away.

Had beautiful fists, too, eh Timmy?

 

[Garf]

Essendon players mistook him for Kennedy too as it was JK Jnr they set upon after Colin flattened Timmy.

He was a good mark and could run and run. Players like Robbo were certainly responsible for Hawthorn's rise in the early 80's.

 

[The BIG X]

It has been said many a time that Robbo was mistook for Kennedy Jnr. I believe the Media got it wrong with 1983 GF Norm Smith award as it should have gone to John Kennedy Jnr as he was clearly BOG.

Another time the media got it wrong when they accused JK Jnr of being in a street fight and it turned out to be Robbo.

 

[Ram-Man]

Remember he and Ray Jencke sharing a durry before a game in 1986 down in the Waverley Park changerooms/dungeon.

 

[MinerBoy]

Loved the clip on Timmy on the way to Normying.

 

[Procrastinator35]

Essendon players mistook him for Kennedy too as it was JK Jnr they set upon after Colin flattened Timmy.

He was a good mark and could run and run. Players like Robbo were certainly responsible for Hawthorn's rise in the early 80's.

Spot On....On his day, Robbo could run amok & cut any side to pieces!

 

[Fulgent]

He was one of my favourite players too. From memory he was one of the first players to beat the Krakouer brothers but my favourite memory wasn't one of him playing.

When I was a kid Hawthorn invited me down to the club to sign me up (I think it was a form 4 or something similar) as I was about to leave the zone and move to Richmond. Anyway, we did a tour of the Glenferrie 'facilities' and one of the sights I was treated to was Colin Robertson and Bucky hitting a round leather punching bag thing. They were in the middle of what I think was the gym on their own. When I arrived Bucky was doing the punching with Robbo holding the bag. Bucky was punching away and his punches were making a bit of noise. After about a minute they swapped. Well, Robbo hit the bag so hard and fast bits of square foam were flying out a split in the bag and Bucky had trouble holding his position. It's the only clear memory I have of the day.

 

[Bikefreak]

Remember he and Ray Jencke sharing a durry before a game in 1986 down in the Waverley Park changerooms/dungeon.

Played basketball against Robbo when he was 40ish and still smoking ciggies flat out.

Could still run out a full game and jump like a jack rabbit. He was 9 years older than me and 15 cms shorter but still kicked my a#se.

Naturally talented and not a bad bloke.