A former student at St Gregory's, Robinson played 3 games from the bench for the Wests Tigers between 2000 and 2001. He was the first player to ever make his first grade debut with Wests Tigers without previously having played with another team. In 2002 he joined the Brian Smith-coached Parramatta Eels, playing in a solitary game.
Coaching career
After a playing stint with Toulouse Olympique, Robinson succeeded Justin Morgan as coach in 2005. He was assistant coach with the Newcastle Knights for 3 years before seeking a release to join Smith at the Sydney Roosters. Robinson was the assistant coach in charge of defence in the Roosters' run to the 2010 NRL Grand Final.
On 7 September 2012, it was announced that Robinson had been appointed as Head Coach of the Sydney Roosters on a three-year contract, starting in 2013. At 35-years old, he became the youngest coach in the NRL. Robinson became only the second rookie coach in the NRL to claim a minor premiership after the Roosters defeated arch rivals, the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the final round of the 2013 NRL season. He claimed Coach of the Year at the 2013 Dally M Awards, becoming the youngest winner and only the second coach in NRL history to be named the competitions' best coach in their first season. He capped this historic season off by leading his team to a premiership title, becoming only the sixth coach to win a premiership in their rookie season. At the end of the 2013 NRL season he received the Rugby League International Federation's coach of the year award. As well as a minor premiership in 2013, he would go on to lead the Roosters to three more minor premierships in 2014, 2015 and 2018. On 30 September 2018, Robinson coached the Roosters to their 14th premiership and their second in six years when they went on to defeat the Melbourne Storm 21—6 in the 2018 NRL Grand Final. At the end of the 2019 regular season, Robinson guided the club to a second placed finish behind minor premiers, the Melbourne Storm. Robinson would then coach the club to their second consecutive premiership as they defeated the Canberra Raiders 14—8 in the 2019 NRL Grand Final. It was the first time that a club had won consecutive premierships in a unified competition since the Brisbane Broncos achieved the feat in 1992 and 1993.
