Loving the drive Mike Sheahan
Herald Sun
April 17, 2010FUN is a matter of perspective at Richmond.
On the one hand, you wouldn't want to be an aspiring comedian road-testing your routine on Chris Newman, Ben Cousins, Troy Simmonds and Co. these days.
Yet, as always, things look different through the eyes of the young.
Ask Dustin Martin how life is as a Tiger and he says: "I'm loving every minute of it."
That's the difference. Here's a teenager from Castlemaine in central Victoria suddenly living his dream in the AFL.
He's had an MCG debut in front of more than 70,000 people, a goal in his second game, a trip to Sydney for Round 3.
Solid returns, too, with 61 possessions, 22 of them contested, and 16 clearances (No. 1 at Richmond).
"I'm learning plenty of stuff and just trying to play my role for the side," he says.
He's 18 with only three games to his name yet supporters have adopted him with unbridled enthusiasm.
Already, he is seen in certain quarters as the best thing to happen to Richmond since . . . since . . . OK, let's not weigh the kid down with comparisons.
Supporters are taking to the nickname "Aston", an illustration of the class they see in the strapping 187cm, 86kg midfielder.
While we're talking cars, he sheepishly owns up to driving a Holden Astra -- "it's a girl's car, but easy to park" -- that he's paying off at $400 a month.
The Richmond optimists say it will be only two or three years before he's driving something like an Aston Martin, no repayments outstanding.
The emergence of Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney will make him a rich man, one way or another. Directly or via the contract Richmond will have to pay to keep him.
Martin, though, is living in the moment. In his seventh-heaven.
He is a boy of few words, yet the words come tumbling forth on the journey so far and his much-hyped debut.
"A bit nervous, yeah, but I was more excited," he says. "It was unbelievable. I can't explain it, it was amazing. People tell you how good it is to run out on the MCG, but it's even better than what they say.
"I think I got overawed by it all. I don't think I was switched on enough (to the game), I was too pumped about the stuff going on around me.
"I know I can do a lot better. I don't think I was aware defensively and I didn't get my hands on the footy a lot. Probably my No. 1 attribute is winning the footy and I don't think I did that enough.
"Sometimes I pinch myself at training. Having a look round and thinking, `S---, pretty lucky to be doing this'."
His Round 1 highlight was "running out together with the boys".
Wait. Then he remembers coach Hardwick's talk before the game, and Matthew Richardson presenting jumpers to the new boys, and the crowd noise when the players hit the ground, and then the opening bounce. He settles for "the whole thing".
He says he struggled early, a view shared by his coaches.
"Damien said to me at halftime, `That's probably the worst half of footy I've seen you play'. I took that on board.
" `Wocka' (assistant coach Wayne Campbell) came up to me and said, `Just go out there and get the footy. That's your No. 1 thing'."
Martin is so content with life, he doesn't miss home.
"Actually, I love Melbourne, it's unreal. So many people, lots of things to do, just a great lifestyle."
He didn't even mind the sledge he copped from a Western Bulldogs veteran.
"(Ben) Hudson got into me about how early I left school (Year 9). I can't really remember what he said, but I didn't care. Just pretended I didn't hear him."
Martin lives with teammates Jayden Post and Ben Nason in Altona. He says "Posty is the dad" -- at 20. Posty cooks, Nason does the dishes, Martin's job is to vacuum.
He tries to ignore the negative publicity about the club and just get on with the job.
He was, though, distressed to learn about Daniel Connors' wild behaviour and subsequent suspension.
"You don't want that happening to anyone, really. It's like family," Martin said.
"He's been really good to me, looking out for me, taking me out for meals and stuff. I just sent him a (text) message saying, `Let me know if you need anything'. He knows he's got a problem with alcohol."
Martin says there have been positives this year.
"Watching our game plan unfold, what we've been practising . . . other people can have their opinion, but it's not going to bother us. We're just going to keep doing what we've got to do."
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/loving-the-drive/story-e6frf9jf-1225854795516
