Richmond needs Dustin Martin at his best to challenge for AFL premiershipJON RALPH
Herald Sun
March 23, 2016DUSTIN Martin was fully aware of his father’s fate when he took to the field two Thursdays ago.
He had finally put into the rear vision mirror the summer’s drama, this one involving wildly divergent stories involving a pair of chopsticks, a woman and an extremely intoxicated Martin.
And yet when you are Dustin Martin, controversy is always hovering around the corner.
The bombshell on the day of the Port Adelaide game was the arrest and likely deportation of his bikie father Shane in Sydney, a setback so considerable many players wouldn’t have taken the field.
Yet not for the first time, Martin went out in the first half and took care of business.
Playing like a man with something to prove, the fend-off specialist went to work with a dozen assured touches, raging against anyone who dared get in his way.
Why should we be even remotely surprised?
From the day the tattooed kid with the intense stare set foot in Punt Rd there have been two constants: repeated and distracting controversies off the field and domination on it.
Those who know Martin say he is seriously distressed about his father’s predicament, visiting him in Sydney recently as the deportation threat looms.
This is not just any father-son relationship — Martin went to live and work with his father after Year Nine and shares a deep connection with a man it is alleged is a top-ranking member of the Rebels motorcycle club.
He has told people he is there to support his father but can’t put his life on hold.
He just isn’t prepared to let his personal issues get in the way of his football.
Since arriving at Richmond Martin has played 131 of a possible 135 games, rested for two matches and suspended for the other two for abusing sleeping pills with Dan Connors.
The 24-year-old’s best-and-fairest results in six years go like this: fourth, third, 10th (although still with 23 goals and 447 possessions), second, third, second.
In the past three years only Trent Cotchin has more Brownlow votes at Richmond than Martin, with Dusty racking up 44 votes (21 last year).
And he is one of only 10 midfielders since 2010 to average more than a goal and 20 possessions a game.
The others are the cream of the crop of attacking AFL midfielders: Patrick Dangerfield, Gary Ablett, Dayne Beams, Dane Swan, Robbie Gray, Brent Harvey, Harley Bennell, Steve Johnson and Paul Chapman.
Richmond will need him more than ever on Thursday night, stripped of midfield depth in Brett Deledio, Reece Conca, Shaun Grigg and ruckman Ivan Maric.
Carlton will fancy its only chance of upset victory is a midfield domination.
Cotchin and Dustin Martin, the choir boy and the tattooed ratbag so heavily criticised for vastly different issues, stand in their way.
Martin has built this career despite the late-night sightings, the contract impasses, the little incidents that have never been made public, the friends Richmond would prefer he didn’t have.
We wrote last year that if he didn’t take more responsibility — after being so drunk he couldn’t remember what happened on that much-publicised night at Mr Miyagi — he would shorten his AFL career.
It remains true, even if Dusty’s chequered past meant we in the media were way too quick to judge the accuser’s version as fact.
But the Tigers are hopeful the penny has dropped, after a pre-season that has him in the best physical shape of his life.
He has a quartet of close advisers, who guide him and help shape his life and career.
He is more closely aware of the consequences of his actions, given a shock wakeup call by this latest controversy and how it was portrayed.
Richmond insiders say Martin in the past would be more concerned about how officials found out about his latest infraction than worried about the consequences of his actions.
Now he is aware he has a football brand that is impacted every time he gets into a scrap.
At 24, he is entering his football peak at a time his matchwinning best is needed more than ever at Richmond.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/expert-opinion/jon-ralph/richmond-needs-dustin-martin-at-his-best-to-challenge-for-afl-premiershi/news-story/a8f349a0431809b5e9906d8ee504cbe1
