Ben Robertson, pictured with the ball, starts farm work at 6am but still finds time for footy.
COBDEN teenager Ben Robertson will follow the same routine he’s had all season into his Hampden league senior grand final debut tomorrow.
The Tesbury dairy farmer will rise early to milk the cows before making his way to Reid Oval for the showdown with Warrnambool.
Keeping his nerves in check will be a priority.
“I’ll probably be up Saturday morning milking the cows and you have to think about something,” he said.
Robertson, 19, starts work at 6am each weekday.
“I like to get there earlier on a Saturday, so if something goes wrong I have time to get to footy,” Robertson said.
The farmer loves his job. He also loves football.
Much like his commitment to his work, Robertson also strives to “do the right thing” by his coach and uncle Wayne Robertson.
“I’d like to play like Wayne who is a Maskell Medal winner and my uncle on my other side, Steve Hammond, he’s won one as well,” he said.
“You try and do the best you can every time. You have the name so you try and do the best for it.”
Robertson’s family connection to Cobden premierships stretches beyond his coach and Hammond, with his father Dale and another uncle Glen Robertson, also part of previous flags.
Robertson said he was an in and under player, capable of playing a variety of roles.
He’s hoping he can sneak forward in the grand final and “sneak a couple of goals”. “I have done a couple of tagging jobs on Josh Walters from Warrnambool and Ben Goodall (of Koroit). I have played up forward and onball and down back if there is someone little,” he said.
Robertson said excitement around Cobden this week was inspiring.
He said the town had thrown its support behind the side affectionately dubbed the ‘Baby Bombers’.
Cobden has six under 18 players in its senior side and 16 of its players are under 22.
“Everyone is excited because you are all about the same age,” Robertson said.
“It is the best feeling around the town. Everyone is behind you because it’s a small community.
“You walk down the street and everyone is congratulating you.”
Ahead of his first grand final, Robertson is taking the build-up in but is prepared for a big challenge.
“Training and everything changes,” he said.
“The pace of the game goes up an extra 10 or 20 per cent.
“You really have to bring your A game.”