Dustin Martin

Early life and junior football

Martin was born in Castlemaine, Victoria to a Maori father, Shane Martin, and an Australian mother, Kathy Knight. He played football for Castlemaine in the Bendigo Football League before leaving school after year 9 and moving to Sydney with his father. He played for the Campbelltown Football Club under 18's for the majority of the season and for the senior team on one occasion. Meanwhile, he worked at his father's transport business and his father's girlfriend's sports apparel business.

At the end of 2007 he moved back home, where he played for the Castlemaine Football Club senior side. In 2008 he played four games for the Bendigo Pioneers in the TAC Cup. He returned to the Pioneers side the following year and played exceptionally well, placing second in the club's best-and-fairest award. Across 11 games with Bendigo, Martin would average 24.7 disposals and 9.7 contested possessions. He also ranked 1st at the club for disposals, contested possessions, clearances, inside 50s and score assists.

Martin played for Victorian Country side in the 2009 AFL Under 18 Championships, averaging 21.4 touches and 7.2 contested possessions in the five games he played. In the final match of the competition he recorded 28 disposals and five clearances against Western Australia. He was rewarded for his stellar efforts at the championships with a selection in the tournament's All-Australian team.

Martin entered the AFL draft camp at the AIS in Canberra in October of that year. He recorded impressive results, finishing equal second in the kicking efficiency test and ran the 20 m sprint in 2.89 seconds, the second fastest at the camp.

AFL career

Martin's AFL career began in November 2009 when he was drafted to Richmond with the third overall pick in the 2009 AFL Draft. He debuted in the season's opening match of the following year, a 56 point Richmond loss against traditional rivals Carlton. Martin impressed, recording the sixth most disposals of any Tiger (18) to go along with four marks, three tackles and three clearances. In Round 10 of the same season he was nominated for the 2010 AFL Rising Star after a 21 disposal and 11 clearance match against Port Adelaide. Due to a rough conduct charge received in Round 3 however, Martin was ruled ineligible for the award and thus did not officially place in the end of season award's points tally. He missed only one game in his debut season, and finished the year ranked second at Richmond for clearances and inside 50s and third for both contested possessions and disposals.

In Round 5, 2011 against North Melbourne, Martin had what was described by Richmond coach, Damien Hardwick, as his "coming of age" game, kicking four goals and recording 33 disposals. Later that season he would have his greatest single game goalkicking performance, booting five majors against Brisbane in a Round 13 victory at the Gabba. He finished the 2011 season ranked 3rd at the club for goals with a career best 33 kicked across 22 games.

2012 represented a step backwards for Martin both on the field and off. On 3 July 2012, Martin and teammate Daniel Connors missed a mandatory training session at the club. According to a statement release by Richmond, the pair had taken prescription sleeping medication the night prior and had overslept. Martin had also been drinking that night and had the medication prescribed. The club said both had failed to uphold team standards and Martin was suspended for two weeks for the incident. Meanwhile Connors, who was on a final warning under coach Hardwick, was sacked. After fourth and third place finishes in the club's best-and-fairest the years prior, Martin would only manage 10th spot in 2012. He ranked sixth at the club for contested possessions and disposals as well as fifth in clearances.

In 2013 Martin would play a complete slate of games, including his first career final and the club's first in 12 years. He was second to only captain Trent Cotchin in disposals that season and was selected in the inaugural AFL Players Association 22under22 team, an annual award recognising the best young talent in the AFL. He was at the same time chosen to the retrospectively selected 2012 team. In addition he recorded his best finish yet in the club's best-and-fairest, securing second place. Following the conclusion of Richmond's season, Martin began a highly publicised test of the market for his services. At one stage, Martin was filmed meeting with Greater Western Sydney officials and touring the club's training and administration facilities. Ultimately, Martin would make the decision to stay, signing a two year deal on September 30, 2013.

Though he did not make the final team, Martin received his first nomination to the All-Australian squad of 40 players following a strong 2014 season. He set a career best mark for disposals for the second year running and finished second at the club for inside 50s. He also received the second highest number of Brownlow Medal votes at Richmond and placed third in the club's best and fairest.

Martin placed 7th in the Brownlow medal tally in 2015, the best result of any Tiger that year. He was again nominated to the All-Australian squad of 40 but would fail to make final selection for the second-straight season. Martin topped the club for disposals and inside 50's in 2015 and again placed second in the club's Best-and-Fairest.

In the 2016 Dreamtime at the 'G match, Martin was awarded best on ground and presented with the Yiooken Award for the first time in his career. In the Round 17 re-match against Essendon, Martin recorded a career high 43 disposals, placing him 3rd on the club's single game disposals record tally. The same year, he would be selected to his first All-Australian team after breaking the club record for disposals in a single season. He also topped the club for inside 50s and contested possessions and placed only behind captain Trent Cotchin for clearances. However, his 113 clangers topped the league, and set a league record for clangers recorded in a single home and away season. At the end of the season, Martin was awarded the Jack Dyer medal as Richmond's best and fairest player. He was also the club's highest placed player at the Brownlow Medal and third overall.

In round 3, 2017 Martin equaled a club record when he recorded 15 clearances in a victory over West Coast at the MCG. Through 11 rounds of the 2017 season Martin ranked top-10 in the league for disposals (29.9 per game), clearances (6.7) and contested possessions (14.5). He was also second best in the league for metres gained (564.4 per game) and behind only Patrick Dangerfield for goals scored by the league's top 20 possession winners. In June, he was named in AFL Media's mid-season All Australian team. Martin gathered a perfect 10 votes from the AFL coaches in Round 14, to enter first place in the association's, Champion Player of the Year award. In Round 15 he set an AFL record with eight broken tackles. He was named by the June player of the month by the AFL Players Association for performances between Rounds 11 and 15. He was again awarded the AFLPA Player of the Month in July, becoming the first player to win the award in back to back months. When he received another nomination (one of six players each month), he became the only player to be nominated in every month that year. In round 17 Martin recorded 40 disposals, 14 clearances and two goals in a victory over Brisbane. In addition, his 12 inside 50s was the equal second most recorded in a match by a Richmond player. In round 23 he was awarded the Ian Stewart Medal as the best afield in Richmond's win over St Kilda at the MCG.

At the end of the home and away season his 667 disposals for the season ranked third in the club's history. His 137 inside 50s and 144 clearances both placed second in the club's record books. At the same time, his 115 clangers broke his own club and league record set the previous season. In late August he was named foxfooty.com.au's 2017 Most Valuable Player. He was also named Player of the Year in media awards held by the Herald Sun, 3AW, SEN and Triple M. He was also named All Australian for the second consecutive year. In September he received the AFL Coaches Association's Champion Player of the Year award when he set a record total for votes in the award count.

In late August 2017, Martin signed a new seven-year contract keeping him at Richmond until the end of the 2024 season.

Statistics

Honours and achievements