“We truly had no idea what we were walking into… or crawling out of.”

The Block is preparing to kick off for 2025, with best mates Robby and Mat are swapping out the scissors for tools for a chance to take home a staggering cash prize.

The pair met 15 years ago in Adelaide when Mat was cutting Robby’s hair. Mat and Robby, 41 and 37 respectively, have been best friends ever since.
(Credit: Nine)
As a hairdresser and barber, Robby and Mat’s family had a hilarious reaction to the news that they’d be joining the 21st season of The Block.

“It was mainly along the lines of ‘Oh my gosh!!’ or ‘finally Australia gets to see what we see’ or ‘you’re hairdressers, not builders!’,” they confessed to TV WEEK.

While Robby is well-versed in The Block chaos, Mat is entering the season blind having never seen an episode.

Robby had the idea to apply for the Channel Nine reality series while Mat was celebrating his 40th birthday in Bali, Indonesia.
(Credit: Nine)
“So we truly had no idea what we were walking into… or crawling out of, for that matter,” they told us.

“But one thing we did know is that we were going to laugh hard every single day. We’re definitely not from the building or design world, but we’re quick learners, full of big ideas, so let’s hope we adapt and learn some new skills and make some new friends along the way.”

Where Robby and Mat lack experience, they at least have enthusiasm! Out of the five other teams competing on The Block in 2025, the besties admittedly have the least experience.

But the pair are sacrificing a lot to compete. Not only do they temporarily leave behind their small businesses, but also Robby has a young family.

“When the show started, Brooks was only four months old. Leaving my partner Alyssa, a brand-new mum, was by far the hardest decision – knowing I wouldn’t be there to help during those early, exhausting months,” Robby confessed.
(Credit: Nine)
“But we knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and we were all in.”

Alas, Robby and Mat were “not nervous at all” to join The Block, with the former believing many viewers will relate to them.

“What you see is exactly who we are in everyday life. We’re not the type to gossip, stir drama or get caught up in any of the nonsense – so we’re pretty confident we’ll steer clear of any “villain” labels. We’re just here to have a good laugh every day and make the most of the experience,” they said.