Could Dustin Martin cap off rollercoaster season by doing the Brownlow unthinkable?Lukesicari
Foxsports
28 June 2016Think back to December and try to remember what your opinion on Dustin Martin was.
Richmond great Kevin Bartlett’s thoughts on the Tigers midfielder weren’t misconstrued.
After Martin was accused of threatening to stab a woman in the face with chopsticks, Bartlett ripped Richmond and the AFL to come down hard on the disgraced player.
“It’s hard to imagine a more serious allegation,” Bartlett said in December on SEN Radio.
“A 12 month suspension and a $50,000 donation to an appropriate women’s organisation seems a realistic and fair conclusion for the club, the AFL and the image of the game.”
While further information of the incident has come to the forefront, there is still no denying that Martin was entering a 2016 season under a cloud of criticism.
Many wondered whether Martin would be able to recapture his electric form with the off-season scandal, while some even floated the idea if his Tiger teammates would welcome him back, considering the sensitivity of the situation.
With Richmond’s boycott of Triple M radio station for comments made on the issue of violence against women, that whole Martin scenario becomes even murkier.
When taking all of that into consideration, Martin’s on-field response in 2016 becomes even more inspired.
Martin is in career best form, and his per game averages back that up. 28.5 disposals, 11.8 contested possessions, 424.2 meters gained, 6.4 score involvements, 3.8 tackles and 4.8 inside 50s is one mighty impressive set of numbers.
Over the past five games, Martin has been even better, as the Tigers have won four of their past five, keeping their slim finals hopes alive. Since Round 9, Martin has racked up 30, 38, 22, 38 and 35 touches, evening out to an average of 32.6 per game.
Martin has officially developed himself into a premier AFL midfielder. His combination of strength, toughness and quickness out of the packs allows him to change games in an instant. The questions over whether he is fully committed to the game of football have been dismissed, and Martin has forged his name among the AFL’s best.
The Tigers have gone through a disappointing 2016 season. The top-4 expectations were way off the mark and, as aforementioned, off-field drama has been prominent.
Coincidentally, Martin has been the shining star of an uneven season, but coach Damian Hardwick still expects more, calling Martin’s performance in the Tigers most recent win just “okay”.
While Hardwick is doing his due diligence as a coach and that’s demanding more out of a player, there is no doubting the football world, and the Brownlow watches, have taken a vast interest into Martin’s uptick in production.
The consensus Brownlow Medalist at the moment is Patrick Dangerfield and for good reason. The Cat has simply been tremendous this season, but the competition is close on his tail.
Firstly, Dangerfield’s teammate, Joel Selwood, is sure to steal some votes from the former Crow. Additionally, Rory Sloane, Dan Hannebery, Sam Mitchell and Callan Ward have all had Brownlow-worthy seasons.
Martin deserves to be in that conversation.
According to Champion Data’s Brownlow predicator after Round 14, the medal is still Dangerfield’s to loss. The proficient Geelong midfielder has a predicated 24 votes, with Hannebery and Mitchell behind him on 17. Martin is way down the pack, on 12 votes, tied with Matt Priddis and Trent Cotchin.
The AFL website’s Brownlow predicator has the pack a lot closer at the conclusion of Round 14. Dangerfield has 18 votes, while Martin is on his tail with 14, tied for third with Selwood, Ward and Luke Parker. Sloane is second, with 15 votes.
So, what does all of this mean?
Well, for one, it guarantees a much more entertaining Brownlow count, unlike last year’s Nathan Fyfe vs. the AFL show.
What it also shows though, is Martin has the chance to pull off one of the most improbable Brownlow wins in recent memory.
Is Martin going to win the medal?
At this stage of the season, with the number of impressive midfielders in the competition, it’s hard to give a concrete yes to that answer.
But is Martin in the mix for the Brownlow, and would a strong second half to the season have him as a frontrunner?
Absolutely, and there is no denying that, despite what your opinion of Martin was back in December.
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