A serious car accident broke his back and forced a premature retirement from rowing and an early start to coaching.
[1] The New Zealand crew was regarded as race favourites and whilst they did not dominate in the qualifying heats, they won the final comfortably.
The crew standing on the victory dais overcome with emotion and "bawling like babies" is one of New Zealand's most memorable sporting moments.
[12] Four years later, when the men's eight only managed third place at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Robertson was dismissed as the national rowing coach.
Robertson coached Drummoyne rowers and scullers, lightweight and heavyweight in competition for national titles at the Australian Rowing Championships from 1978.
He was coach of New South Wales state senior eights competing in the Interstate Eight-Oared Championship (the King's Cup) in 1979, 1983, 1984 (to victory), 1985, 1987 and 1988.
The crew consisted of his Drummoyne clubmen Graham Gardiner and Clyde Hefer who throughout 1980 had vied for top national honours against the Victorian pair of Charles Bartlett and Simon Gillett.