A lifelong Sydney Swans fan, the then 18-year-old walked into a locker room full of the idols he grew up supporting, with the likes of Paul Kelly, Michael O’Loughlin and Tony Lockett just some of the names in the team back in 2002.
Fast forward more than a decade and Roberts-Thomson has become an iconic player at the Swans, with ‘LRT’ now amongst the club’s most-loved sons, with two premierships and Life Membership represented on his famous number 30 locker.
After 179 games, Roberts-Thomson has decided to call it a day, and this morning announced his retirement to his team mates.
“Honestly, it was one of the toughest decisions I’ve had to make,” Roberts-Thomson told SwansTV.
“I think as a footy player you’re almost naïve to the fact that one day you do have to retire, and certainly this year, and especially last year when I had my injuries, it really does make you feel like you’re not invincible and I think that’s where the decision was made.
“Physically and mentally it was a little tough to continue at the highest level and I think my body had just taken enough.
“You go through all the pros and cons, and being realistic about the whole situation, it was the right time to retire and I think I’ve been very lucky.”
After spending the last 13 years at the Swans, Roberts-Thomson said telling his team mates he was hanging up the boots was one of the toughest tasks he’s had in his time at the club.
The 30-year admitted that there were some emotional moments during this morning’s meeting, particularly when he delivered the news to team mates he’s shared more than a decade of memories with.
“Coming to that final decision when you hang up the boots, it’s just really difficult to take that big step,” he said.
“When I was telling the boys earlier I did get emotional, and I think what made it really difficult was when you spoke in front of everyone and you looked them in the eye and really felt the connection that you had.
“It just reminded you of the relationships you’ve built up over the last 13 years, and that was the hard thing.
“I think the realisation that I’m not going to be in the locker room every day or running around and playing gags on the boys and making jokes and the fact that I’m not going to be running out alongside any of those guys anymore, is sort of tough to get your head around.”
While this morning’s announcement was a difficult moment for Roberts-Thomson, the good has certainly outweighed the bad for the versatile player, who is just one of five players in the club’s history to have played in two premierships.
A close second in many fans’ minds for the Norm Smith Medal in in the 2005 Grand Final, Roberts-Thomson was equally influential seven years later in the Swans’ 2012 premiership win, where he laid several big tackles, including a memorable one on Hawthorn’s captain Luke Hodge early in the match.
Reflecting on his best moments in the red and white, Roberts-Thomson said it was impossible to overlook the team success he shared in 2005 and 2012.
“Coming into the club and playing for 13 years for the Sydney Swans, I would never have thought I would do what I’ve done when I first walked into the place,” he said.
“Some of the great memories I’ve had are first and foremost the people I’ve met, but then on the footy field, it’s the team success that we had in ’05 and 2012, those premiership wins and being part of those days.
“With those things, what goes into your footy is a long journey and there is a lot of hard work behind the scenes.
“You really do learn about resilience to reach that pinnacle, and to achieve premiership success is certainly the big highlight.”
Although his on-field resilience and competitive nature helped him achieve the respect of his coaches and team mates, Roberts-Thomson also developed into somewhat of a cult figure among fans during his time at the club.
With his recognisable long, golden locks, which he maintained throughout his entire career, and his famous double-barrelled surname, Roberts-Thomson quickly became a fan favourite, which has even seen a range of t-shirts, the ‘LRTees’, developed in his honour.
Roberts-Thomson said he could not be more grateful for the support the fans have shown him over the years.
“I must say a huge thank you to all of those Swans fans out there because we play footy because one, we enjoy it, and secondly because we want to bring enjoyment to our fans and supporters and bring people through the gates of the footy club,” Roberts-Thomson said.
“(The fans) are the ones who sit through the rain and watch some of the losses and go through some of the heartbreak that the players do.
“In the end, the fans are just as much a part of this place as we are and I can’t thank them enough for their support.”
And after collecting a number of nicknames from his loyal fans throughout his career, Roberts-Thomson confirmed that there is one that will always stick.
“I’ve had plenty of nicknames: “The Hyphen”, “LRT”, “The Warrior” and “Lewie”, just to name a few, but in terms of nicknames, I’m happy just with LRT,” he said.
“It’s standard and it’s universal.”
