Eye of a tiger, heart of a Lion

BRISBANE Lions hard man Mitch Robinson has turned his life around so remarkably in recent years that his change of fortune even outshines the Lions’ rapid rise from woodenspooners to serious grand final contenders.

The Tasmanian-born-andraised 30-year-old has come a long way since being expelled from Rosny College in Year 11.

And despite what he referred to as an “embarrassing” delisting by Carlton in 2014 over a violent brawl in Melbourne’s CBD, the former Lauderdale boy has succeeded not just in resurrecting his career through the Brisbane Lions, but rising to become one of the team’s most valuable players, both on and off the field.

Returning to his home state this weekend, fresh from signing a new two-year contract with Brisbane, Robinson will join the Lions as they take on Hawthorn today at Launceston’s UTAS Stadium.

Robinson admits he got into his share of trouble growing up but it was footy that helped him channel his energy into something more constructive, going on to play for Lauderdale, the Tassie Mariners and the Tassie Devils before being drafted to play for Carlton in 2008.

That highly publicised 2014 fight over a taxi in Melbourne resulted in him being dropped by Carlton but when Brisbane picked him up later that year, he was determined not to waste his second chance.

He is an intimidating presence on the field but off the field he has a real estate licence, a small business certificate, has studied sports journalism, cuts his teammates’ hair, and is a professional video gamer with a popular podcast. And he has a fiancee and two young kids who are his whole world.

He might be infamous for his “see ball, get ball” playing style, but there is a lot more to the Brisbane Lions “kamikaze” than meets the eye. Read the full story in TasWeekend, inside today’s paper.