Matthew Robbins (footballer) explained

Matthew Robbins
Birth Date:1977 5, df=yes
Originalteam:Ormond / Central U18
Debutdate:Round 17, 27 July 1996
Debutteam:Geelong
Debutopponent:St Kilda
Debutstadium:Waverley Park
Height:178 cm
Weight:87 kg
Statsend:2007
Years1:1996–1997
Club1:Geelong
Games Goals1:7 (0)
Years2:1999–2007
Club2:Western Bulldogs
Games Goals2:139 (135)
Games Goalstotal:146 (135)

Matthew Robbins (born 8 May 1977) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with both Geelong and the Western Bulldogs in the AFL.

Recruited to the Geelong Football Club with pick 36 in the 1994 AFL Draft, Robbins played only 7 games in his 3 seasons at the Cats, being traded to the Western Bulldogs for the 1998 season.

He developed into an elite small forward option for the Bulldogs, and in 2005 took a one handed mark against the Brisbane Lions in Round 18 which was one of the spectacular highlights of the AFL in the 21st century. Unfortunately, it was controversially snubbed for the 2005 Toyota Mark of the Year Award. Robbins finished with 31 goals from 16 games in 2005.

Robbins kicked 45 goals in 2006 as a small forward, and in 2007 fell out of favour with the coaching staff and managed only a handful of senior games. By falling out of form and out of favour with the coaching staff Robbins was compelled to announce his retirement following the end of the 2007 season.[1] He kicked three goals in his last game against the Kangaroos, in which was also Luke Darcy's last game. At the conclusion of the match, both Robbins and Darcy were chaired from the ground and given a guard of honour from both teams.

Robbins attended Salesian College.

Robbins has expressed his wish to continue playing football in 2008, quoting that he would like to play in the VFL, or play amateur football with his brothers at Ormond.[2]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: AAP . Matthew Robbins retirement . 24 August 2007 . 27 August 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070921211043/http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/Season2007/News/NewsArticle/tabid/4112/Default.aspx?newsId=49672 . 21 September 2007 . dead .
  2. Web site: AAP . Darcy and Robbins see bright future for Dogs . 2 September 2007 . 5 September 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070917063706/http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/Season2007/News/NewsArticle/tabid/4112/Default.aspx?newsId=50335 . 17 September 2007 . dead .