Martin models game on Magpies SwanBy Kim Hagdorn
SportsNewsFirst
13 May 2011 03:54PM ESTBUDDING Richmond star Dustin Martin has taken to modelling his game on Collingwood sensation Dane Swan.
Former Tigers on-ball ace Wayne Campbell has revealed that Martin has gone to Magpies games just to analyse how Swan wins his possessions as well as what the champion play-maker does when not running on the ball.
Campbell played 297 Tigers games and is now midfield coach of an on-ball battery of Martin, another young gun Trent Cotchin and established followers Nathan Foley, Brett Deledio and Daniel Jackson.
Ahead of Richmond’s crucial clash with a stumbling Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium on Sunday, Campbell disclosed that Martin had carefully monitored Swan to avoid heavy tagging as well as reading the play when not in possession.
Martin is likely to be closely watched by Dogs minder Liam Picken.
Martin, 19 and into his second AFL season, had been in near All-Australian selection form in the opening six weeks of the 2011 season before he was heavily tagged in last week’s stirring eight-goal win over Fremantle at the MCG.
Martin was held to just 11 possessions for the day by close-checking Dockers hard nut Matthew de Boer.
The classy young Tiger did not touch the ball at all in the first quarter.
But while Martin was held to virtually no impact in the match, the Tigers midfield went on a rampage after half-time and especially late in the match when they slammed on nine of the last 10 goals to win by 49 points.
Campbell confirmed that Martin has closely studied Swan, who was voted the AFL’s Most Valuable Player last year and is being roundly touted to win this season’s coveted Brownlow Medal.
“He watches all the elite players in the competition and Dane has been that for the last two or three years,” Campbell said.
“He watches him and he watches a lot of the good midfielders.
“He’s a young guy that wants to learn and wants to get better and that’s a terrific attribute to have and he’s getting some of the rewards for it out on the field.”
Campbell anticipates Martin to emerge a more astute player from his first serious tagging lesson.
“He got tagged for the first time, a real tag last week,” Campbell said.
“He got tagged little bits and pieces last year, but that was the first real one with de Boer running with him and he will have learnt a lot about that.
“I suppose that is the key thing to having multiple players running through your midfield with Cotchin and Foley and these sort of guys and Jacko (Jackson) as well, that they can only tag one of them.
“Hopefully, that allows that player to work on what he is doing and allows the other guys to get some footy.”
http://www.sportsnewsfirst.com.au/articles/2011/05/13/martin-models-game-on-magpies-swan/
