‘Long time coming': Robustelli's breakout performance Saturday capped with first CFL touchdown
'We knew when [Calgary] went four by one, I was going to have a one-on-one on the backside. [The coaches] challenged me to make some plays,' he told reporters after the Riders' 24-10 loss to the Stampeders. 'I'm just happy I got the opportunity to do so.
The second-year receiver out of Tusculum College was targeted 12 times by quarterback Trevor Harris, making 11 catches for 191 yards.
Robustelli also added his first professional touchdown reception in the third quarter – a major which at the time drew Saskatchewan within a score.
'It felt really good,' he said. 'You kind of blackout a little bit when it happens. But I was excited to get my first one.'
In his three previous games with the Riders prior to Saturday, Robustelli had just 10 catches and 63 receiving yards.
He more than quadrupled his total, breaking out for his best performance as a pro.
'That's what I've been barking about for the last year and half with Joe,' Harris said about his receiver. 'He reminds me a bit of Greg [Ellingson]: very twitchy, makes tough catches, good after the catch, strong.'
'And I thought he did a great job today,' he added.
Robustelli joined the Riders at the start of the 2024 season and spent the majority of the year on the practice squad.
After showing a glimpse of greatness during Saskatchewan's second pre-season game of 2025, he again started this year on the scout team.
'It's been a long time coming,' Robustelli said. 'So it felt really good to go out there and do my job.'
'We've seen it from him before,' head coach Corey Mace said. 'We're not shocked by that. He was out there competing his tail off and showed a little extra grit here and there.'
'Trevor found him, and not only just being open depending on what kind of coverage they were in but also being able to do it after the ball in the short stuff,' Mace added.
Despite Saturday's game coming after a 19-hour delay to kickoff, Robustelli believed there was some comfortability in the situation.
'As the time went on, I was kind of like, 'Are we going to play, are we not?' he recalled. 'Then when you get to reset and you're coming in here for a day game, you're comfortable playing day games in college.'
Still, the receiver says a win would have made the performance feel a little better.
'It's bittersweet, definitely,' Robustelli added. 'When you perform like that, you'd like to celebrate it. But, it's a team sport and we didn't come out with a victory.'
With injuries to star receivers Shawn Bane Jr. and Samuel Emilus last week, Robustelli was slotted in to start for Saskatchewan Saturday.
It is unknown if Bane Jr. and Emilus will return to the lineup for Saskatchewan in Week 7 this upcoming Saturday against the B.C. Lions.
Updates on their status may come when the team returns to practice Tuesday.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
National Post
33 minutes ago
- National Post
On Tour: World No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler makes startling confession
Article content WATCH BELOW: On the latest episode of On Tour with Jon McCarthy, Postmedia's Rob Wong chats with Toronto SUN National Golf Writer Jon McCarthy about Scottie Scheffler's comments regarding his life as a professional golfer and how he thinks Scheffler will fare at this week's Open Championship at Royal Portrush.
Globe and Mail
35 minutes ago
- Globe and Mail
Applications for first World Cup ticket draw will open Sept. 10, FIFA says
Soccer fans looking to take in the 2026 World Cup will be able to apply for FIFA's first ticket draw starting Sept. 10, soccer's world governing body announced Tuesday in a release. FIFA did not say when the draw would take place for the tournament in Canada, the United States and Mexico, but said tickets would be released in phases. FIFA said ticket releases will continue up to the tournament final on July 19, 2026, in East Rutherford, N.J., but did not detail how many chances to buy will occur or what the phases will entail. The organization did encourage fans to register interest on its website ( A FIFA ID will be required to participate in the draws. World Cup tickets are already available for Canadians willing to pay a premium through deluxe packages, provided by On Location, FIFA's official tournament hospitality partner. They start at $2,500 for a single-game package. Additionally, Canada Soccer is expected to unveil its revamped Canada Red program at the end of July, with membership tiers – ranging from free to $5,000 a year – offering access to a ticket lottery for Canadian matches. The more expensive the membership, the better the odds of getting a ticket. The 2026 World Cup kicks off June 11 in Mexico City. The expanded 48-team competition features 13 games each in Canada and Mexico and the remaining 78 in the U.S. The 28th-ranked Canadian men will open June 12 at Toronto's BMO Field before shifting to Vancouver for their remaining group games June 18 and 24 at B.C. Place Stadium.
CBC
44 minutes ago
- CBC
The unbeaten Riders keep finding a way to rise above injuries. Next up, their biggest test yet
You could forgive a Saskatchewan Roughriders fan for holding their breath when quarterback Trevor Harris tackled running back A.J. Ouellette in a bear hug after last weekend's win against the B.C. Lions. The Riders have had terrible luck with injuries this season, so it wouldn't be too surprising if the team's star running back was injured due to a freak accident. Going over the Riders' injury list, it seems as though one of the only members of the team yet to spend time in the trainer's room has been Gainer the Gopher. In spite of the injuries, the Riders are heading into Week 6 at the top of the standings, having cemented unbeaten status with a 37-18 win over the BC Lions to improve to 4-0. They are the last remaining unbeaten team in the CFL after the Winnipeg Blue Bombers lost to the Calgary Stampeders last week. A team dealing with as many injuries as the Riders shouldn't be this good. But for those that have been tuned into the team since Corey Mace became the head coach, it's difficult to be surprised. In the locker room last season, Mace would tell his players that they were "built for this." Well, here's another situation they were built for. All-star centre Sean McEwen went down before the Riders had even played a game. No problem. Right guard Logan Ferland will slide over to take McEwen's place. Ferland was used to changing places, having seemingly played every position on the offensive line last season. Receiver Kian Schaffer-Baker suffered an injury in the first game of the season. Samuel Emilus was ready to step into the spot. When Emilus suffered an ailment, Dohnte Meyers, KeeSean Johnson and Dhel Duncan-Busby picked up the slack. The backfield has also been crowded this season, with Ouellette, Thomas Bertrand-Hudon and Ka'Deem Carey each getting to carry the ball thanks to various bumps and bruises. Perhaps the biggest injury of all was to quarterback Trevor Harris, who was sidelined for the game against the Lions due to a head injury. The Riders didn't press the panic button, as Jake Maier replaced Harris. Just in case it felt like the ship might be taking on a bit of water, special teams dynamo Mario Alford to delivered a walk-off kick return touchdown. Four wins. No losses. Zero excuses. This weekend, the Riders will be looking for their fifth win of the season as the Calgary Stampeders pay a visit to Mosaic Stadium. Trevor Harris has taken first team reps at practice and looks poised to make his return to the lineup. It will be interesting to see if there's any rust on Harris's game. Coming back from an injury — especially a head injury — is always a challenge. This game is Saskatchewan's biggest test to date. A win would give them a cushion in first place. The team would also be off to its best start since 2013. A loss would allow Calgary to claim top billing. So far this year, the team has faced adversity and kept going strong. In a way, this year's edition of the Green and White could be seen as a reflection of the people of the province. During Saskatchewan's cold winters, the people don't complain, they put on extra layers and go about their lives. When a player goes down on the field, the Riders plug in the next guy and keep going. More importantly, they just keep winning. Riderville is pinning their hopes on that streak continuing.
