Robert Church: Greatest Saskatchewan Rush player of all time?
Jan 20, 2025If you’ve ever been to a Saskatchewan Rush game, you’ve probably heard the name Robert Church, and more than likely you’ve pounded your chest after he lit the lamp. But ever since the team moved from Edmonton to Saskatoon, there’s been one consistency with the Rush and that’s Robert Church putting up points.
January 18th in Toronto marked the 173rd game in his NLL career, and a memorable one for all who have witnessed his greatness in our province. With his second goal of the game, Church became the all-time points leader for the Saskatchewan Rush, surpassing Mark Matthews 687 that he tallied from 2016-2023.
Points In a Saskatchewan Rush jersey: (as of January 19th)
1. Robert Church - 689
2. Mark Matthews - 687
3. Ryan Keenan - 454
“I think there are a couple of things that separate Robert from others; 1. His intelligence within the game and 2. His passion for lacrosse. He’s been a ‘lacrosse rat’ from the moment he picked up a stick,” said GM and Co-Head Coach Derek Keenan. “I can say without question we knew we were getting a special player when we drafted him. We of course had lots of intel on him. I had watched him play in three Minto Cups, including two against my Whitby teams and Mark (Matthews) played with him in 2010 in Coquitlam, so we leaned on him as well.”
The “lax rat” has had quite a few memorable games in Saskatchewan green, whether it was the 11-point night against Rochester in 2017, an eight-point performance against Colorado in the 2018 Western Final or even the two sock tricks against Buffalo in the regular season. To most fans, those games would be easy to circle as favourites, but arguably, Church’s best performance came inside SaskTel Centre and the greatest professional sports goal in Saskatchewan sports history might not have happened without #17’s fourth quarter heroics.
Saturday, June 4th, 2016 – NLL Championship Final (Game 2)
There’s less than six minutes to play in the fourth quarter and the Saskatchewan Rush find themselves down 9-8 against the Buffalo Bandits. Up to this point, Anthony Cosmo had stopped all five shots he’s faced in the game from Robert Church, but then, he showed the lacrosse world why he’s one of the greatest forwards of our generation.
With 5:31 left to go in regulation, Church blazed down the middle of the floor, caught a pass from Zack Greer and beat Cosmo over the shoulder to tie the game at 9-9. Then, 54 seconds later, Church caught another pass in the slot and with his patented step-down, fired one short side to put the Rush up 10-9.
“It blew up my voice and it blows up SaskTel Centre,” a legendary line from John Fraser who was on the radio play by play call.
Who knows what would have happened without those two massive goals. Would Kevin Brownell’s goal have sealed a game two win for Buffalo? Would Jeff Cornwall even get the opportunity to score the biggest goal in Saskatchewan sports history? We’ll never know, but what’s for certain, is in the biggest moments, Church was in session.
“Winning another championship in Saskatchewan would mean everything. There are only a few of us left who have experienced winning here and I want nothing more than to experience it again with this group,” said Robert Church, who was more interested in delving into future team success instead of personal accolades.
Saskatchewan has held a special place in his heart ever since the organization made the move, but even with all the success on the floor inside SaskTel Centre, Rush Nation has always been top of mind for the B.C. boy.
“When it's all said and done, I hope they remember me as someone who showed up to every game and gave it my all. Whether we were winning championships or going through a rebuild, I came to play, healthy or not, and did anything to help the team win games."
And while he’s still 116 points back of the franchise pinnacle that combines the history of Syracuse, Ottawa, Edmonton and Saskatchewan dating back to 1998, there’s still a lot of lacrosse left in the 33-year-old’s game, and he’s chasing one of his closest friends in the record books.
“Now I guess I have to chase down Mark’s franchise points record,” Church chuckled.
So I’ll leave the question with you, Rush Nation. Is Robert Church the greatest Saskatchewan Rush player of all time?