From Yarragon Auskick to AFL legend status
Yarragon youngster Mitch Harvey has channelled his inner “Robbo” to be part of the popular NAB Mini Legends campaign.
In its fifth edition, six-year-old Mitch stars as Brisbane Lions’ ferocious and competitive player Mitch Robinson in the television commercial.
The commercial shows a coach hit the ground before mini Mitch glares and crosses his tattoo-filled arms.
Mitch said the best part of being in the Mini Legends campaign was “everything”. He enjoyed wearing the mouthguard and two fullsleeve tattoo transfers as well as the photos and filming process.
Mitch’s mum Lisa Harvey said her son was hesitant to watch himself when the commercial aired or chat about it with adults, but enjoyed the attention at school.
The grade one student who is looking forward to the Yarragon Auskick season is now a big fan of the real Mitch Robinson. But it isn’t quite enough to sway him from supporting Hawthorn of which he has been a member since birth.
His favourite Hawks player is Jarman Impey. Lisa said Mitch was registered with an agent and this was his first casting. The role had to be kept secret and Lisa didn’t even know what he was auditioning for initially, but knew it was an AFL ad.
After a Zoom callback followed by two auditions, Mitch got the role and spent four days in hair and makeup trials and filming. He faced an hour each day in the make-up chair getting his tattoos glued on before later being soaked for removal.
Designed by Robinson’s wife and Aboriginal artist Emma MacNeill, special permission was required to replicate the tattoos.
While most of the mini legends required haircuts or hair pieces, Mitch’s red hair needed only a slight colour spray for the part.
As expected, there was a little confusion that “Mitch is playing Mitch”.
This year’s NAB Mini Legends features mini versions of AFL players Bailey Smith (Western Bulldogs), Sabrina Frederick (Richmond), Stevie-Lee Thompson (Adelaide) and Zac Tuohy (Geelong), along with Brisbane’s Mitch Robinson.
And, from the real Mitch Robinson, came a social media post stating “humbled to get my own mini me!”.
“When these little dudes look cooler than us @zach2e”, he added.
While he didn’t get to meet the real Mitch or Geelong player Patrick Dangerfield who starred in the ad, Mitch is hoping to get a Brisbane Lions guernsey signed as a keepsake of his Mini Legend role.