NRL veteran Jeff Robson has been signed by the Vodafone Warriors on a one-year contract providing a further boost to the club’s depth and experience for the 2016 season.
The off-contract New South Welshman boasts a total of 159 NRL appearances, the last two of which were in the Sharks’ just-ended 2015 finals campaign when they beat the South Sydney Rabbitohs before being eliminated by grand finalists the North Queensland Cowboys.
After starting his NRL career with six games for Manly, Robson spent three seasons with the Parramatta Eels, the first of which culminated in his appearance in the 2009 grand final against Newcastle. He switched to Cronulla in 2012.
Vodafone Warriors head coach Andrew McFadden said Robson would bring both experience and professionalism to the squad.
“It’s great to have Jeff joining us. He’s not only a proven performer but he’s also a durable and totally professional athlete,” he said.
“Like Roger (Tuivasa-Sheck), Issac (Luke) and Blake (Ayshford), Jeff enables us to build our depth as well as giving us another player to help to lift our standards across the squad and throughout the club.”
Robson played all 26 matches for the Sharks this year and has missed only nine games in his four seasons with the club.
Also able to play at hooker and standoff, he has played a total of nine finals matches in four play-off campaigns during his career.
Robson will find familiar faces at the Vodafone Warriors in fellow new signing Blake Ayshford and Jonathan Wright. They were all team-mates at the Sharks while Robson and Wright were also club-mates at Parramatta in 2009-2010.
JEFF ROBSON
Date of Birth: August 05, 1982
Birthplace: Leeton, NSW, Australia
Junior Club: Leeton Greenies
Position: Halfback
Height: 176cm
Weight: 87kg
Rep Honours: Nil
NRL Debut: Manly v Cronulla, Brookvale Oval, 23/05/2004 (Round 11)
NRL Career: 159 appearances, 2004-2015
Manly: 6 appearances, 2004-2008
Parramatta: 61 appearances, 2009-2011
Cronulla: 92 appearances, 2012-2015
NRL Points: 109 (27 tries, 1 field goal)
VODAFONE WARRIORS | 2016 NRL SQUAD
Backs | Matt Allwood, Blake Ayshford, David Fusitu’a, Konrad Hurrell, Shaun Johnson, Solomone Kata, Thomas Leuluai, Mason Lino, Tuimoala Lolohea, Ken Maumalo, Marata Niukore, Jeff Robson, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Manu Vatuvei, Henare Wells, Jonathan Wright
Forwards | Raymond Faitala-Mariner, Charlie Gubb, Ben Henry, Ryan Hoffman, Jacob Lillyman, Sam Lisone, Sione Lousi, Issac Luke, Simon Mannering, Ben Matulino, John Palavi, Upu Poching, Nathaniel Roache, Ligi Sao, Toafofoa Sipley, Bodene Thompson, Albert Vete
@Cronulla_Sharks @NZWarriors @jeffrobson82 good luck Robbo. A gentleman and a great sport. Our club shone brighter for your time here
— Brendon Walker (@BrendonWalker) September 30, 2015@NZWarriors @Cronulla_Sharks @jeffrobson82 Welcome to the Warriors family. Look forward to seeing you at Mt Smart in 2016
— Emma Harper (@Em_ma_Harper) September 30, 2015
