Tarin Rock football sensation Lucas Robinson named All-Australian at U16 National Championships and WA MVP

Tarin Rock football sensation Lucas Robinson is emerging as one to keep a close eye on for Fremantle fans after the Dockers’ NGA product was named All-Australian at the AFL National Development Under-16 Championships. The 188cm inside bull enjoyed a dominant tournament for the Black Swans, collecting WA’s most valuable player award and finishing runner-up in the Kevin Sheehan Medal — for the best and fairest player in pool A — to go alongside his All-Australian selection. A freakishly talented big-bodied midfielder with polish around the contest, the Lake Grace-Pingrup junior averaged 25 disposals — 18 being contested — six tackles and nine clearances in a stellar showing across their three matches in July. After winning one of their three carnival matches, he joined three fellow WA teammates with All-Australian honours, and is a 2026 AFL draft prospect. While admitting he did not expect to be named MVP for WA, the 16-year-old said it was something he strove for as he pushed to be drafted. “I didn’t expect it but it was something I was kind of working towards,” Robinson said. “Well, (the draft) is probably something that I’ll work towards. There’s still a long way to go but it’s probably a goal of mine to get there eventually. “It good to be recognised in the (All-Australian side) with different people, not just WA selectors.” Boarding at Hale School in Perth, the hard-nosed on-baller plays for their Alcock Cup team and is also part of the South Fremantle colts program. A School Sport Australia All-Australian half-back in 2023, Robinson said he aimed to emulate star Geelong back flanker Tom Stewart, who has transitioned into the Cats’ midfield this year. “I was playing in half-back pretty much all last year and then South Fremantle probably just saw something and threw me in the midfield and haven’t really moved me out since,” he said. “Probably, like, the stoppages and stuff is my strengths, and just being around the ball, I guess. “A lot of my possessions are contested and I think I’m probably a bigger-body sort of midfielder, so I think being able to win that contested ball and just get it to the outside runners. “I like the way Tom Green and Josh Dunkley go about it, and Tom Stewart now that he’s moved into the midfield. “It’s probably a similar situation where he started half-back and then moved into the midfield, so he’s someone that I look to watch.” With one match left in the season with the Bulldogs, Robinson said he would spend the off-season training on areas of his game he needed to improve on. “I’ll train with State 18s in the summer squad as a bottom-ager, and there’s a few things that I need to work on as well,” he said. “I have pretty good resources at Hale and I’ll just continue to improve and take things that my coaches think about my game that need improving and just go and work on them. “I’m probably looking to take my fitness to the next level and then get a little bit quicker as well.”