Western Force prop Tom Robertson says he feels like Perth is home ahead of his 50th cap for the Club, having moved west ahead of the 2021 Super Rugby season.
The reigning Nathan Sharpe medallist will become the 25th player in Force history to reach the 50-cap milestone for the Club when they take on Moana Pasifika in Pukekohe on Friday night.
Robertson, 31, originates from Dubbo in regional NSW and joined the Force from the NSW Waratahs.
Since moving to Perth in 2021, he’s married long-time partner Belle, who he met in Dubbo, with the couple having their first child, son Darby, in December 2024.
Robertson and his family are another example of a Force player making Perth their chosen home.
“I really do feel like Perth is our home and the Western Force is our home now,” Robertson said.
“My first-born son was born in Perth, so we call this place home and I’m really appreciative of the Force for giving me the opportunity to come over.
“To reach 50 games is a dream come true.”
Robertson’s time in Perth has been split by a one-year sabbatical at Oxford University from 2023 to 2024, where he studied a Masters of Public Policy after suffering an ACL injury which meant he missed the 2023 World Cup.
He added: “It was an awesome 12 months. I was lucky enough to head over to Oxford after a bad ACL tear. I got away from rugby for a bit, which made me appreciate what we’ve got at the Western Force and in Australian rugby. I’m very grateful to the Western Force for allowing me to do that.
“It’s always been a good thing, having those things to distract me from the rugby field. I’m playing my best when I’ve got something else to do.”
Previously, Robertson studied at Sydney University, where he completed a Bachelor of Medical Science, Masters of Public Health and a Masters of Philosophy majoring in Medicine. He’s also completed half his medical degree, with plans to become an anaesthetist after his rugby career.
“I’m everything but a doctor at the moment — I’ve got an undergraduate and three masters degrees, but I haven’t finished the actual doctorate yet,” Robertson said.
“I’m playing my best when I’ve got something else to do. Obviously now I’m a dad it’s probably my off-field antics more than anything. When I was younger, I always felt having study was a good balance.”
The Force squad flew out of Perth on Tuesday for the side’s upcoming three-game road trip in New Zealand, starting with Moana.
That comes after an 0-2 start to the season, but Robertson was hopeful the tour could “galvanise” the group and help “kickstart” their campaign.
“The first two rounds definitely not where we want to be, especially two games at home,” he said.
“Taking those positives out of the game, there were a heap of them. If you look from Round One to Round Two, we improved a lot.
“There’s definitely a chance for us to get away on the road for three weeks. We’ve got Moana Pasifika up in Auckland, then the Highlanders in Dunedin and the Hurricanes in Wellington to finish.
“It’s going to be a tough three weeks. But I think it’s a good chance for us to get away as a group, galvanise, get around the boys off the field. Really looking forward to it. It’s a great opportunity to kickstart our season.”
