Dustin Martin [merged]

[The Big Richo]

He is a lazy kick for goal and needs to improve dramatically.

One thing I have noticed a few times this year when he is having set shots is that he looks like he is gasping that much for air, he takes a heap of time just standing and then almost has to rush the kick.

He is the only player this year I have been aware of the umpire pressuring him that the time for the set shot is almost up.

He's not fit enough. It's why his game is scattered with errors and he doesn't work hard enough defensively.
He'll forever have the tag 'one way player' until he corrects this.

So the question is why isn't he?

It's not like he isn't doing the program as directed by the club.

[one-eyed]

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick insists that playing Dustin Martin as a more permanent forward is not the solution.

“Wherever we feel we have a need for him, he’ll play,” Hardwick said.

“He’ll play a little bit midfield, also some forward again this week.

“He’ll go through various positions. He’s probably a bit like Hodge for Hawthorn, he goes forward, back, middle, and Dusty’s a little bit the same.

“For us, he’s a good player, he’s a dynamic player. He can get the ball going our way, he’s capable of winning one-on-ones, so he’s an important player to us.”

http://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/2014-04-24/martins-versatility-a-weapon-for-tigers

[tigs2011]

Just play him in the role he was good at. It wasn't broken. It didn't need fixing. Simple really. Fix the poo trucks that offer nothing.

[tony_montana]

Just play him in the role he was good at. It wasn't broken. It didn't need fixing. Simple really. Fix the poo trucks that offer nothing.

  yep stop getting too cute and just play players where they offer optimum output.

[eliminator]

I agree with Kingy. Play him 70% forward and 30% in the midfield. Play him across half forward and then isolate him deep. Keep them guessing!
Take out Jack and Richo before him and who has been our next best forward over the last 15 years. We desperately need other avenues to goal and there is nothing on our list ATM that can hit the scoreboard regularly. Last year our backline worked well, our midfield was very good but our forwardline struggled. We have a weapon in Dusty, FFS Dimma use him forward and play Jack where he plays best too. We have some genuine match winners, let them play!
It's funny how it works, you kick more goals than your opposition and you win games. 

Imagine if we had a decent small man as well??

agree

[MintOnLamb]

Richmond should play Dustin Martin deep in attack, says Fox Footy expert David King
Herald-Sun
April 18, 2014 6:00PM


Martin booted 79.69 in 2011-3 and has amassed the clear second-most shots on goal for Richmond behind spearhead Jack Riewoldt in that time.

Riewoldt pointed to Martin’s 55 shots last year, saying the Tigers need him to get to dangerous spots, while Hardwick praised his versatility.

Martin is a crap kick for goal, stats say it all. He's a great kick for where he wants it to go, e.g another player, he just can't get it through the big ones often enough.
Centre or backline UNTIL he learns to kick straight for goal, and when he does, he will be awesome forward.

And the more he is exposed to kicking for goal the better he will get so chuck him into it. He isnt going to improve his goal kicking in the back line

[WA Tiger]

Just play him in the role he was good at. It wasn't broken. It didn't need fixing. Simple really. Fix the poo trucks that offer nothing.

  yep stop getting too cute and just play players where they offer optimum output.

[Penelope]

i reckon what gets missed here and needs to be asked ,  is martin needed across hb ???  do we already have good options???

to me the answers are no martin is not needed across hb because we do have good options.

if we are looking for good users coming out use ellis. use deledio we use vlastuin hes a very good kick and hes a damn good decision maker. you want more grunt use conca across hb. we could try helbig there and ffs both dea and mcintosh some time this yr will need to be given games there. finally there is a very good and  wise option to use lennon in his formative yr across h/b.
we have a bloke capable of kicking probably 40 45 even 50   goals a yr and give good service in the midfield while at it, thats   more than any other option and we want to play him back when there are numerous options  to play back there. go figure.

At least you are trying to look at it in more than a superficial manner, and the question about do we need him accross half back is a fair one, although I'm not so convinced the answer is no.

I look at it another way.

With the cap on rotations players have to stay on the ground more and rotate through other positions rather than go off the ground.

If we look at some of the bokes who play through the midfield at times, which ones have the assets (long accurate kicking, mainly), to provide drive off half back, which after all, is what you want off half back
Thomas?
Foley?
Jackson?
Edwards?
conca?
cotchin?
arnot?

You can only afford so many many players who are limited to either on the ball or on the bench, and there are only so many spots in the forward line. So where does each player rotate through, and when they are there, what do you do with the others?

When you look at the whole picture of where each player rotates, its not so superficial as not being able to look past glorifying the person who actually kicks the goal and taking into account the work further up the ground that provides the goal kicking opportunities in the first place.

LMAO @ those swinging off David Kings nuts just because he agrees with them. Any other time he gets bagged for being a stuff wit

[Judge Roughneck]

Erm...

Do we need Martin @ hb

Yes


Unless no one has noticed we are pretty shyte

I'd be loading up with deledio Martin vlastuin types behindthe ball

[Eat_em_Alive]

^ which would you prefer martin or Lids on hbf?

[Penelope]

Thats not really a decision that needs to be made, as deledio plays predominately off hb with stints on the ball. there is no need for delidio to be elswhere just because martin has a stint at hb
a more pertinent question would be who do you prefer off half back when delidio goes on the ball, martin or jackson?

[Eat_em_Alive]

If that's the question then  would say martin, and jacko on the bench pouring coolade for grigg and Co 

[Mr Magic]

Hardwick recognised we were weak at HB and tried to move Dusty back there to generate run.
That makes sense but he's poor defensively and is a weak short kick of the ball so it didn't work.
Ok, change it up again so he goes forward where he is more effective but our ball use is still weak again at HB.
We have plenty of forward options but not so many players who are capable of run and carry in the half back role which remains a concern.

[big tone]

i reckon what gets missed here and needs to be asked ,  is martin needed across hb ???  do we already have good options???

to me the answers are no martin is not needed across hb because we do have good options.

if we are looking for good users coming out use ellis. use deledio we use vlastuin hes a very good kick and hes a damn good decision maker. you want more grunt use conca across hb. we could try helbig there and ffs both dea and mcintosh some time this yr will need to be given games there. finally there is a very good and  wise option to use lennon in his formative yr across h/b.
we have a bloke capable of kicking probably 40 45 even 50   goals a yr and give good service in the midfield while at it, thats   more than any other option and we want to play him back when there are numerous options  to play back there. go figure.

At least you are trying to look at it in more than a superficial manner, and the question about do we need him accross half back is a fair one, although I'm not so convinced the answer is no.

I look at it another way.

With the cap on rotations players have to stay on the ground more and rotate through other positions rather than go off the ground.

If we look at some of the bokes who play through the midfield at times, which ones have the assets (long accurate kicking, mainly), to provide drive off half back, which after all, is what you want off half back
Thomas?
Foley?
Jackson?
Edwards?
conca?
cotchin?
arnot?

You can only afford so many many players who are limited to either on the ball or on the bench, and there are only so many spots in the forward line. So where does each player rotate through, and when they are there, what do you do with the others?

When you look at the whole picture of where each player rotates, its not so superficial as not being able to look past glorifying the person who actually kicks the goal and taking into account the work further up the ground that provides the goal kicking opportunities in the first place.

LMAO @ those swinging off David Kings nuts just because he agrees with them. Any other time he gets bagged for being a stuff wit

I think first and foremost as a backman you have to be able to defend. Forget kicking or marking, you have to be able to defend! And Dusty is not known for his defense, he is known for his attacking footy and his penetrating kicking.
Lids is a much better all round footballer who should be used across HB. I wouldn't say that has been his toll for two years now. We have Vlastuin  and Lids that should be our HB's.
Also with rotations, if managed right can still be done successfully with the on-ballers rotating through the forwardline and then coming off for a break. The numbers are still high enough that your stars on-ballers don't have to rotate through the backline.

[Tigeritis™©®]

Hardwick recognised we were weak at HB and tried to move Dusty back there to generate run.
That makes sense but he's poor defensively and is a weak short kick of the ball so it didn't work.
Ok, change it up again so he goes forward where he is more effective but our ball use is still weak again at HB.
We have plenty of forward options but not so many players who are capable of run and carry in the half back role which remains a concern.

Why not make Ellis that player Or Conca?