LeasePlan Western Bulldogs veteran Matthew Robbins will retire from the Western Bulldogs after the 2007 season.

Robbins told his team mates this week after discussing his decision with head coach Rodney Eade.

Robbins, 30, began his AFL career with Geelong before being recruited to the Bulldogs line-up in 1998. At Geelong he played six senior games before tearing his quadricep and being sidelined for ten weeks.

Upon his arrival at the Bulldogs he was restricted by a series of hamstring injuries but gradually through persistence and versatility became an important member of the Footscray side.

Robbins found his niche in recent seasons as a small forward and booted a career high of 45 goals last year. With teams focusing on his team mate Brad Johnson, Robbins was able to sneak under the sightlines and booted three or more goals each game over an eight game period.

Since his AFL career began in 1996 Robbins has played 145 games and kicked 132 goals including three final campaigns in 1999, 2000 and 2006.  

Head Coach Rodney Eade said Robbins had played a senior role in the Bulldogs side for several years especially last season when he was an integral member through the finals campaign.

“Matthew came to the Bulldogs almost ten years ago and has contributed in many ways to our side both and off the field. He has represented the ethos of our team and proved himself to be a versatile player adjusting to the team’s needs by moving into the forward line in 2004,” he said.

DRAFT HISTORY
1994 National AFL Draft 2nd round selection (Geelong) No. 36 overall
1997 National AFL Draft traded by Geelong for No. 15 (Joel McKay) and No. 38 (James Rahilly).