Dustin Martin still learning life skills required of AFL players .. (Herald-Sun)

[one-eyed]

Richmond star Dustin Martin still learning life skills required of AFL players

    Al Paton
    From: Herald Sun
    January 15, 2013 4:44PM

RICHMOND wild child Dustin Martin is still learning how to balance the off-field life of an AFL star with its on-field demands, former skipper Chris Newman says.

Newman says former Port Adelaide premiership coach Mark Williams, who has joined the Tigers in a development role, is helping the 21-year-old learn the "life skills" required to be an AFL footballer.

He did not deny suggestions senior coach Damien Hardwick had to pull Martin into line for his off-field behaviour over the Christmas break.

Asked directly about the reports, Newman said: "I think that with Dustin it's an ongoing thing and he's still trying to develop himself not only as a footballer but as a person.

"Off-field we've got a standard that we we set that everyone has to adhere to.

"Dustin's still trying to get that good balance between having a healthy lifestyle outside of football and also delivering on the field.

"We're lucky enough to have a really good development program here and that's where 'Choco' Williams has come in and really taken these young blokes under his wing.

"He knows what it takes to succeed and win premierships and that's why a lot of young guys are continually in his office, (he's) trying to give them the life skills that's required of an AFL footballer."

Martin was a revelation in his debut season but he followed it up with an inconsistent 2013 season that was interrupted by a two-match club suspension for sleeping in and missing training in July. The incident resulted in the sacking of teammate Daniel Connors.

In November Connors revealed the Tigers had banned Martin from socialising with him.

Newman said yesterday there were no issues with Martin on the track this pre-season.

"Dustin has completed every session, he's pretty fit, he ran a pretty good time in the time-trial last week," Newman said.

"He certainly entered the comp with a bang but remember he's still only young and still learning the craft."

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/afl/more-news/richmond-star-dustin-martin-still-learning-life-skills-required-of-afl-players/story-e6frf9jf-1226554501428

[Stripes]

I thought Martin had come back to training before Christmas in bad shape which was then leaked to the media. Has Martin done something on top of this over the Christmas break or are they one and the same?

[Phil Mrakov]

Ffs the media is stuffed

[Hellenic Tiger]

Yes his 2013 was inconsistent much like his 2012. Morons.

[dwaino]

Is Martin the flavour of the month or something? Bugger off ya nongs.

[Mr Magic]

The neck tats don't help Martin's cause one bit IMO. Yes I know that they are personal in meaning but they also characterise him. Rightly or wrongly many will judge a book by it's cover. When you couple that with hanging out with drop kicks and club enforced suspensions, it's little wonder the media and public are curious about a guy who looked like he was going to be the next superstar on debut but fell away a little in yr 2. Make no mistake this season is a big one in the career of Dustin Martin. Very interested to see how he goes..

[Rampstar]

IMHO he will stick so far up the media it aint funny. Infact I will say he is a decent outside chance of winning the Brownlow Medal. Cotch better watch out because the kids about to go bang and he could be taking votes of the chimp in a big way in 2013.

[smasha]

HUN, Essendon bed lovers at it again.

[dwaino]

The neck tats don't help Martin's cause one bit IMO. Yes I know that they are personal in meaning but they also characterise him. Rightly or wrongly many will judge a book by it's cover. When you couple that with hanging out with drop kicks and club enforced suspensions, it's little wonder the media and public are curious about a guy who looked like he was going to be the next superstar on debut but fell away a little in yr 2. Make no mistake this season is a big one in the career of Dustin Martin. Very interested to see how he goes..

What are you trying to say about neck tats 

[Judge Roughneck]

The neck tats don't help Martin's cause one bit IMO. Yes I know that they are personal in meaning but they also characterise him. Rightly or wrongly many will judge a book by it's cover. When you couple that with hanging out with drop kicks and club enforced suspensions, it's little wonder the media and public are curious about a guy who looked like he was going to be the next superstar on debut but fell away a little in yr 2. Make no mistake this season is a big one in the career of Dustin Martin. Very interested to see how he goes..

The lads job is to play football.

Not to be a role model.

Who gives a rats if Dusty hangs out with kids who skateboard. Drops kicks or otherwise.

[Mr Magic]

What are you trying to say about neck tats 

I'm saying many people will judge you for them whether you like it or not. Those with tats may hate that statement but it is what it is.
Less judgement is made sans neck ink. Ink in general.
Is it really a surprise? Most get a tat of some sort to make a statement for whatever reason & with that comes external judgement.

The lads job is to play football.

For real? Let me assure you there's a lot more to being an AFL player these days than just going out & playing football.
Martin has a lot of talent but there are a hell of a lot of footballers on the AFL scrapheap who had talent.

This is a big year for Martin IMO. Really needs to get out there and silence his critics. One way to do that is play good football, another is to keep his focus off field.

[dwaino]

What are you trying to say about neck tats 

I'm saying many people will judge you for them whether you like it or not. Those with tats may hate that statement but it is what it is. Less judgement is made sans neck ink.

Yeah I know what you were trying to say  all good. Though from personal experience I don't ever recall being judged for having a neck tat. Completely honest, I forget its even there 99% of the time. People make comments on my arm ones but that's more asking to look at them or admiring the art. I think we're living in a pretty accepting world regarding such things these days. It's just the oldies and the odd demographic that tend to bat an eyelid. IMO any journo or critic having a dig at Martin for his tats are just clutching at straws and looking for any pee poor excuse to hang it on him.

[Mr Magic]

What are you trying to say about neck tats 

I'm saying many people will judge you for them whether you like it or not. Those with tats may hate that statement but it is what it is. Less judgement is made sans neck ink.

Yeah I know what you were trying to say  all good. Though from personal experience I don't ever recall being judged for having a neck tat. Completely honest, I forget its even there 99% of the time. People make comments on my arm ones but that's more asking to look at them or admiring the art. I think we're living in a pretty accepting world regarding such things these days. It's just the oldies and the odd demographic that tend to bat an eyelid. IMO any journo or critic having a dig at Martin for his tats are just clutching at straws and looking for any pee poor excuse to hang it on him.

I'd like to think that's the case too but we all remember Jude Donnelly having to defend Dusty at the presser in his first season. There's a lot of crusty old journos out there..

[dwaino]

At least the number heeding the words of said journos diminishes by the day 

[Mr Magic]

At least the number heeding the words of said journos diminishes by the day 

Sure is. The number of crusty journos is diminishing by the day too.