In his first year he was used as a battering ram. Whilst it was great to watch I think he'd be ultimately wasted to be used purely to be an extractor considering we don't have that many good users of the ball.
Getting Dustin Martin involved in scoring chains for me is absolutely essential. Would you rather Martin sending the ball inside 50 or Ricky Petterd? But back to Claw's argument about Cont Poss.
I did a footy wire search and what I got was
Year Team CP UP ED ED% CG CM GA I50 MI5 CL R50 1% BO TOG%
2014 Richmond 178 380 375 67 93 7 18 84 15 58 41 26 19 1828
2013 Richmond 162 403 385 69.1 63 6 13 91 14 58 35 21 32 1875
2012 Richmond 169 291 313 70 62 5 8 85 15 67 23 23 30 1607
2011 Richmond 194 291 347 71.4 60 12 20 93 14 82 56 16 23 1856
2010 Richmond 179 255 300 70.6 63 3 4 74 1 101 30 25 3 1643
To kick things off, Claw he had more CPs in 2011, than his first year so you are wrong there. And he only had 1 less contested possession than his first year but then he also had more goal assists, more marks inside 50, takes more running bounces these days not to mention kicks more goals (and crucial goals for that matter)
As the stats show he had the most clearances in his first year but I think using Miles and Cotchin for that area and have Martin use his elite kicking for our forwards is a better strategy given the list deficiencies we have. If we can get a better user of the ball for i50 delivery (our draft selections this year could be the answer to that) then I'm sure you will have him play more well rounded as Claw suggests.
I think at this point in time a valid comparison for Dustin Martin is Sam Mitchell so I pulled up his stats
Year Team CP UP ED ED% CG CM GA I50 MI5 CL R50 1% BO TOG%
2014 Hawthorn 161 285 325 72.4 45 2 9 51 6 84 30 40 12 1314
2013 Hawthorn 232 440 496 73.7 63 3 21 84 5 106 68 46 27 2171
2012 Hawthorn 300 357 491 75.2 69 1 27 100 5 154 41 35 9 2121
2011 Hawthorn 295 419 473 67.5 91 1 19 108 9 131 34 31 11 2074
2010 Hawthorn 179 349 349 66.6 61 1 3 65 3 105 38 26 6 1666
Suffice to say Sam Mitchell did really well in the CP category in 2011 (Hawks came 3rd), 2012 (made GF). For me this is because Hawthorn became a better team in general. Hawthorn developed their outside runners better allowing the better decision making Sam Mitchell to play more inside at certain stoppages as well as run loose and damage the opposition with his laser like kicking.
Do I think Martin can be a better player than he is right now? Of course I do. I firmly believe he can win a brownlow and especially in the 1st half of the 2014 season he was the only reason I would still watch RFC games. But to suggest he's gone backwards and saying he's not as good as his 2010/2011 seasons because of one stat I think is very short sighted.
hmm i used official afl stats according to them martin in 2010 had 195 c/ps, and 238 were u/ps at an ave of 20.24 diposals for that yr.
all the the stats are exactly the same except for the c/p and u/p stats in 2010.
yes i want to see him play as a battering ram when needed, i want him to get outside ball i want to see him hit the fringes at pace. i want him to win more c/ps. in effect i want him to actually use his god given gifts which is a body ideal for being used as a bulldozer and actually become well rounded. i want to seehim run both ways not just fwd of the ball. he needs to lay more tackles and work for his teammates with out the ball.
i suggest hes gone backwards in certain areas and imo the stats back that up.but he has got much better in other areas and improved overall. i also said i thought his 2nd yr to date his best yr because his game was more well rounded he kicked goals the most of his career. he won c/ps still won plenty of clearances and still did all the outside things.
you know i agree with much of what your saying but the solution imo is not turning martin into something he shouldnt be but findiding outside players with really good pace and run who can deliver the ball.mark ricciuto used his body in an illustrious career martin has a body that should be utilised.
we struggled all yr until miles came into the side and that tells me we are very thin on the ground for contested ball winners. i reckon the club agrees as well they made getting an inside mid their #1 priority in the off season.
