Adelaide’s Rory Sloane v Richmond’s Dustin Martin: Enticing battle of the AFL’s blue-collar bullsMichelangelo Rucci,
Chief Football Writer, The Advertiser
29 April 2017RORY Sloane is not the type anyone would (wisely) taunt. Nor goad.
But that is what the Crows fitness staff has done this week as it prepares to put the All-Australian vice-captain in the Adelaide Oval ring on Sunday evening for that much-anticipated heavyweight duel with Richmond midfielder Dustin Martin.
“Our tackling coach,” says Sloane, “said if I get fended off by (Martin), I’m buying him a coffee. We’ll have to see how I go.”
There is much more than coffee on the line in this top-of-the-table clash between the unbeaten Tigers and seemingly unbeatable Crows. A premiership battle and the race for the AFL’s highest individual award, the Brownlow Medal, also may be shaped by this Sunday twilight game.
This match-up — Sloane v Martin — is far better than the Oval’s other major bout this year, the boxing grudge match between Danny Green and Anthony Mundine.
And it is destined to have far more return bouts with great significance to AFL history, be it in the chase of the flag or in the wearing of the Brownlow Medal.
It is as tantalising as that pure football match-up Phil Walsh set-up in late May 2015 with then Crows midfielder Patrick Dangerfield and Fremantle midfielder Nat Fyfe, winners of the past two Brownlow Medals, squaring off.
But it also is vastly different to the Dangerfield-Fyfe battle. That pairing is Australian football’s version of thoroughbred racing, in line with Black Caviar and Hay List, with Bruce McAvaney speaking poetry in the call to the line.
Sloane v Martin is blue collar. They can be compared to two North American moose butting heads to rule as kings of a territory. They are raw, more combative with Dermott Brereton and Brian Lake wanting to get out of the commentary booth to feel the heat of the battle again.
Sloane, 27, is the ultimate competitor. He never denies himself in a contest, repeatedly surprising his opponents for his manic approach to every opportunity to win the ball. That willingness to always test his chances in any battle define Sloane.
Martin, 25, is shrewd and brutal. He calculates every contest to be branded as a player with “football smarts”.
And when he has the ball, Martin is uncompromisingly forceful to those who seek to take it from him. The signature fend-off now defines the part-Maori warrior.
“When you have the confidence to fend blokes off ...,” says Sloane.
“A lot of guys don’t normally expect it. But a few people should expect that by now, surely!
“He does it so well. And he is so strong in the upper body.
“But there are ways to counter it in the tackle.”
Adelaide’s tackling coach Warwick Raymond will be pleased to be buying his own coffees from Monday morning if he has indeed prepared Sloane to wear down Martin. There is no doubt Sloane will have the spirit for the task. Technique is to be tested, however.
Walsh took the AFL back to his childhood days of the 1970s when he drove from country Victoria to watch — as VFL coaches allowed — the game to unfold with the best players matched up against each other.
“We thought,” said Crows midfield coach Scott Camporeale, “how great would it be for the game if we had two of the best midfielders go head-to-head.”
Now Camporeale gets to possibly relive the moment with Sloane and Martin. Richmond coach Damien Hardwick is not short of options in how he uses Martin, as noted with the Tigers using the All-Australian in roles in the forward half of their set-up.
And Sloane notes the Richmond midfield runs so deep to afford Hardwick such a luxury with Martin who has chalked up 33, 25, 40, 16 and 32 disposals in his first five games and kicked 9.8 this season, including 4.0 in the season opener against Carlton.
“They’ve got a great midfield,” says Sloane of the Richmond engine room that did rule in the club’s pre-season meeting at Etihad Stadium in February.
“(Brownlow Medallist) Trent Cotchin has been unbelievable for them, you’ve now got Josh Caddy running through there and Dion Prestia is there as well. They have a really solid midfield that has a heap of depth to it, but so do we.
“And we’ll keep rotating a lot of guys through there,” adds Sloane noting the Adelaide midfield depth has broadened with Matt and Brad Crouch, Curtly Hampton, Rory Atkins, Riley Knight (currently injured), Eddie Betts, speed machine Charlie Cameron and Richard Douglas.
But everyone wants to see Sloane v Martin.
RORY SLOANEAge: 27 (March 17, 1990)
Height: 183cm
Weight: 83kg
AFL debut: 2009
Draft pick: 44 (2008)
Games: 146
Goals: 91
AveragesDisposals: 22.23
Contested: 11.32
Clearances: 3.88
Tackles: 5.42
Kicks: 11
Marks: 4
Handballs: 11
Brownlow votes: 68
Brownlow odds: $8
DUSTIN MARTINAge: 25 (June 26, 1991)
Height: 187cm
Weight: 88kg
AFL debut: 2010
Draft pick: 3 (2009)
Games: 158
Goals: 159
AveragesDisposals: 24.70
Contested: 9.17
Clearances: 3.72
Tackles: 3.23
Kicks: 16
Marks: 4
Handballs: 9
Brownlow votes: 98
Brownlow odds: $5.50
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl/teams/adelaide/adelaides-rory-sloane-v-richmonds-dustin-martin-enticing-battle-of-the-afls-bluecollar-bulls/news-story/caa4ab214c3b5ea08fc12a5df0edbfa5
