Roberts, 19, played the last month of Essendon's season in 2024, after being selected with pick No.54 from the Sandringham Dragons.

This year, the tenacious small defender already has a Telstra AFL Rising Star nomination in his back pocket, is averaging 24.5 disposals, and did not concede a goal to his direct opponent (minimum 30 minutes) between rounds three and 10. 

In that time, he played on the likes of Willie Rioli, Jamie Cripps, Will Hoskin-Elliott and Beau McCreery.

"I can't thank the coaches enough for that (block of games last year), it just set up my off-season and pre-season really well. I had confidence that I could play and consistently compete at the top level and that's just held me in good stead for this year," Roberts told AFL.com.au.

"Over pre-season, I wanted to focus on being hard to play on as a defender. I wasn't very physical, and I wanted to work on my one-on-one defending. 

"Ben Jacobs, the backline coach, has been awesome for me, he's such a great human and he's so smart with his footy and he helped me so much with my one-on-one defending and where I wanted to get better and helped me get to the spot I am now."

Not overawed on the big stage, Roberts registered a career-high 34 touches against Richmond in the Dreamtime at the 'G match, and 25 against Collingwood in the Anzac Day clash.

"I'm loving it. I'm living out my dream, and the boys are unbelievable for me. I'm loving it at the moment and I'm just trying to build every week and keep trying to help us win. I want to be an important player in this side, playing my role will make me important, and if I keep playing to the best of my ability, I'll take this team forward," he said.

"I think these (big) games are the ones that prepare us for finals. Eighty or ninety thousand, that's what you get at finals. Some teams don't get to experience that till they do reach the final goal. So for us, it's just holding us in good stead and us as young players aren't spooked out and are ready for the occasion." 

A childhood Carlton fan, Roberts is now firmly red and black, and impressed the Bombers hierarchy so much in his debut year he inherited former captain Dyson Heppell's No.21 jumper over the off-season.

"He asked me to wear it, and I couldn't say no. Every time I put on the jumper, I look at the back and I just think about all the awesome moments he's done in his career," Roberts said. 

"If I can be half the player he was, I'll have a great career and that's all I'm striving to be. Anything better is a bonus."