Tiger ace Martin to return to AFL actionSteve Larkin
7 news
22 June 2022Dustin Martin is set to return to AFL action for Richmond this week.
Richmond coach Damien Hardwick says there's some doubt about the output of Dustin Martin when he returns from illness for Saturday's AFL clash against Geelong.
The Tiger ace missed last week's win against Carlton because of a bad bout of 'flu which Hardwick says knocked Martin around.
"How he comes out, we're not too sure," Hardwick told reporters on Wednesday.
"But we're pretty confident it (Martin's best) is not too far away.
"What we have got to realise, the level of expectation on Dustin is incredibly high.
"The way he plays the game even at 60 per cent is far above probably most, to be fair.
"He has been playing his role. We have been winning games with him playing that rol. Just him being in the side is a bonus for us."
https://7news.com.au/sport/afl/tiger-ace-martin-to-return-to-afl-action-c-7253219-------------------
He has not rediscovered the form that made him close to the premier player in the league in 2017-20, but Hardwick said it remained a reasonable expectation of Martin, who turns 31 on Sunday.
“No question,” Hardwick said. “He’s a guy that, touch wood, has been very lucky injury-wise.
“He hasn’t had the pre-season that we would have liked obviously with the issues that he’s had but the fact of the matter is guys don’t forget how to play. They just need to start getting into a bit of a groove and we’ve got no question that’s not too far away.
A fit and firing Martin, currently playing predominantly as a forward, would send shudders through the league with Richmond still firmly in contention for fourth flag in six years. “The way he plays the game, even at 60 per cent, is far above probably most to be fair,” Hardwick said.
https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/no-question-hardwick-backs-in-martin-to-find-old-gold-20220622-p5avpe.html