By Phil Shore
Hudson Robb was eight years old when he traveled with his family to Denver, Colorado for the 2014 World Lacrosse Men’s Championship. His mom and dad – Tracy and Stuart – played for the Australian National Team, and they wanted to go as a family to root not just for the country but to see several players from the local Glenelg Lacrosse Club – such as Nigel Morton, Stephen Mortimer, and Luke Keesing – perform on the biggest stage.
For Robb, however, it wasn’t just the hometown heroes that captured his attention.
“It showed me another level of lacrosse that I’ve never seen before and really made me want to get to that level,” he said. “The first time I watched Lyle Thompson and the Iroquois against Australia, just the style of lacrosse, I’ve never seen before. My dad made sure I sat right next to him and watched every bit of it. It was mind blowing because going from watching club lacrosse on a Sunday to watching these players that can do stuff with a stick that not many people have ever done before really changed the way I see lacrosse and helped elevate my game.”
Over ten years later, Robb is one step closer to getting an opportunity to live that childhood dream. After an impressive summer participating in the 2025 World Lacrosse Men’s U20 Championship, Robb earned a spot on the Australian men’s national field Team, which is competing in the 2026 Asia-Pacific Lacrosse Men’s Championship.
The tournament will serve as the official qualification pathway for the 2027 World Lacrosse Men’s Championship.
“It’s been a big year,” he said. “I’m just grateful for everyone in my corner that’s helped me along the way and very excited for this next step.”
In August on Jeju Island in Korea, Robb – in his first experience representing Australia – led the team in goals (11) and points (13). He also scored one of the most memorable goals of the tournament for the team.
In Australia’s opener against the Haudenosaunee, Robb capped a hat trick with an overtime winner in a 15-14 thriller. Australia would go on to take the rematch in bronze medal game, with Robb scoring two goals. It had been 22 years since Australia medaled at the Men’s U20 Championship; the Haudenosaunee had beaten Australia in the bronze medal game in each of the previous two tournaments.
Australia’s U20 head coach Robert “Henry” Lawson, who is also an assistant for the senior side, provided many reasons for Robb’s success in Korea.
“He’s aggressive, a real competitor, with a strong presence on the field,” he said. “Hudson was a very effective feeder and shooter through his junior years, but an injury in the final days leading up to Jeju forced him into an off-ball role. Having a stick in his hand from a very early age as part of a much-loved club family, he grew up with lacrosse in his veins, which has resulted in very good stick skills and a natural feel for the game.
“Jeju also demonstrated his braveness, not just to push through a significant injury, or to throw himself into a contest,” he added, “but to stand up and take shots in important moments.”
After the U20 Championship, Robb received an email from men’s national team head coach Glenn Morley inviting him to training camp with an opportunity to make the roster for the Asia-Pacific Men’s Lacrosse Championship.
Robb said the veterans played with more intensity and with a higher lacrosse IQ, making him “look like a little fish in a pond.” He also, quickly, had his “welcome to the national team” moment during a scrimmage. Robb executed a normal cut down the alley and shot, something he said he’s done countless times, but goalie Sean Aaron – who played for Australia at the 2018 and 2023 Men’s Championship – made him “look like a little kid around men,” according to Robb.
“He read me like a book,” Robb said. “He’s a very high-skilled goalie and has a lot of IQ. … The fact that he didn’t even bite at it, the shot went straight into his stick.”
Despite that moment, Morley saw a lot about Robb he liked. Morley said he liked the way Robb competed as well as the way he “gets himself in good spots to have impact.” He also knew that, thanks in part to his family legacy of representing the country, Robb’s desire to play for Australia was strong.
Robb was one of three players from the U20 team – along with defender William Inglis and midfielder John Stubbs – to earn a spot on the senior team.
“It’s always good to introduce some youth into the senior program. It brings a new bit of energy, a new bit of excitement, and helps us understand a little bit more what ‘6-7’ means,” quipped Morley. “They’re obviously a group that’s tasted success at a Men’s Championship level, winning bronze, and so, with that comes a little bit of confidence and swagger into the group as well.”
With the APMLC acting as the qualification process for the Men’s Championship in 2027, it marks the first time Australia has ever had to qualify for the Men’s Championship. Australia has not won the continental championship since 2007 (the team did not participate in 2022 because it had already qualified for the Men’s Championship).
Morley is confident that the coaching staff has put together a squad strong enough to change that, however.
“It’s a really good mix of youth and experience,” Morley said. “It’s also been a really strong message to say this is a really important first step in a longer program. First and foremost, we want to take care of the qualification, but we also want to go back to winning and winning in the Asia-Pacific tournament, which we haven’t done for quite a while.”
With veteran talent and experience on offense, Morley and Lawson both said the expectations for Robb do not require heroics like in Korea. Instead, they expect him to be an off-ball weapon on the inside that finds his spots and take advantage of opportunities presented for him.
In Australia’s opening tilt against the host New Zealand, Robb did just that, scoring the team’s first three goals within five minutes of play.
As Robb prepares for this new experience, the lessons he’s learned from his parents about lacrosse over the years have helped him get into the right mindset.
“You’re not bigger than the game itself,” said Robb. “Never make it about yourself. Play hard for your teammates and always learn from the game. The game gives back to you, so always try hard to give back to the game as well.”
