AFL Grand Final 2020: All the best moments from Cats v Tigers
He’s officially the greatest Grand Final player of all-time and Dustin Martin has kicked 10 goals in his three games on the biggest stage. Jon Ralph ranks each of Dusty’s majors against Adelaide, GWS Giants and Geelong from 1-10.
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Dustin Martin isn’t capable of the simply ordinary.
Every single one of his 10 Grand Final goals – the centrepiece of his three Norm Smith Medals – are breathtaking in their own way.
Some are the cream on the crop of dominant victories, others take place when Richmond is deep in its victory dance.
So which ones are the best when you weigh up the sheer degree of difficulty as well as the context of these three premierships?
JON RALPH ranks his ten Grand Final goals.
1. 2020 Grand Final, second quarter, 1.19min remaining.
Richmond has never been in a hole this deep in a Grand Final.
Cometh the hour, cometh the man doesn’t even do justice to Martin’s intervention.
Stationed deep on Jake Kolodjashnij with Richmond 21 points down, he senses the moment. Liam Baker’s long bomb is spoiled in a pack of six players and falls to Martin, with only Kolodjashnij within 20m of footy’s most lethal player.
How could Richmond’s matchwinner have this much space to work in?
He “Don't-Argues” Kolodjashnij with his left arm then cradles the ball only in his right hand to release the Sherrin and snap his first goal across his body. It is the goal that changes the course of a Grand Final.
Dusty kicks an important goal for Richmond! pic.twitter.com/c4SRlfElMX
— 7AFL (@7AFL) October 24, 2020
2. 2019 Grand Final, second quarter, 15min remaining.
Martin’s exquisite goal sense and ability to make an opponent look foolish caps Marlion Pickett’s best early moment of the Grand Final … and with the game very much on the line.
Pickett’s perfect front-end-centre crumb spins through three sets of hands – Kane Lambert to Nick Vlastuin to Castagna and then to Pickett again as his left-foot kick tumbles into space.
Martin fakes out opponent Sam Taylor, ducks behind him as the ball goes exactly where he knew it would and then after bursting past a despairing Phil Davis snaps along the ground on the run.
“The pick-up’s unbelievable. It’s the play of the game. That is the play of the game,” roars Brian Taylor as the Tigers push 20 points ahead.
"I've never seen anything like it!"
— AFL (@AFL) September 28, 2019
BT was hyped after this goal from Dustin Martin.#AFLGF pic.twitter.com/ByiJVJbOZ9
3. 2020 Grand Final, fourth quarter, 71 seconds remaining
The game is over but Martin isn’t anywhere near finished.
Hunting Rhys Stanley near the boundary he picks his pocket, intercepting his handball to Patrick Dangerfield. The Cats champion wraps him up but it isn’t even a fair fight as Martin dispatches him with a whip of those powerful hips. 15m out dead on the boundary he snaps over his shoulder. The tongue goes out in celebration, then comes the finger waggle. It’s 12 out of 10 for difficulty but like few other Martin makes the impossible look a walk in the park.
NO WAY. pic.twitter.com/G73r2ZthPD
— 7AFL (@7AFL) October 24, 2020
4. 2017 Grand Final, second quarter, 3.26m remaining.
Adelaide have thrown their attempted haymaker at the Tigers, who have responded and then thrown Martin deep on Luke Brown.
From Dion Prestia’s long centre clearance He man-handles the Crows defender to mark one-out in footy’s loneliest position, bullying him with his core strength and power then returning to the ball to mark. It is Martin’s statement of intent. “The champ’s got it”, says Bruce McAvaney
Then he slots the set shot from 20m out to power Richmond to a 10-point lead they never looked back from.
5. 2020 Grand Final, third quarter, 6.29m remaining.
Richmond is surging but still doesn’t have scoreboard reward for effort with Geelong three points to the good.
Jayden Short’s space junk of a kick bounces unmarked on the 50m line where Martin and Jack Riewoldt rise to knock it forward.
Opponent Zach Tuohy loses his feet but with catlike reflexes he pounces, accelerates past Jack Henry and kicks a perfectly judged 45m checkside snap that bounces twice before curling over the line. At one end Patrick Dangrefield is having zero impact. Once again, footy’s ice man is taking over.
“This is what Dusty does. he keeps his feet. The great players don’t go to ground,” says Luke Hodge.
DUSTIN MARTIN.
— 7AFL (@7AFL) October 24, 2020
WHAT A GOAL 😱 pic.twitter.com/T8PyMLTe2V
6. 2019 Grand Final, first quarter, 1.12 remaining
GWS is five points up on a goalless Richmond and brimming with good vibes. From a characteristic Richmond turnover Jack Riewoldt’s 50m left-foot bomb find space 20m from goal where Martin shows Heath Shaw a clean set of heels on the lead. He marks, takes a quick glance and then snaps the set shot Stevie-J style with the fist-pump flourish. It is dime-a-dozen Dusty but takes rare skill few power midfielders could accomplish. And it comes with the game on the line.
Dustin Martin kicks Richmond's first goal #AFLGF pic.twitter.com/Y3dFw9cDEQ
— Lace out (@laceoutofficial) September 28, 2019
7. 2020 Grand Final, fourth quarter, 7.46m remaining
With Richmond 22 points up and nearly home, he hovers around the 50m mark. Inexplicably, opponent Mark Blicavs retreats to allow him space. He pounces, receives the handball from Kane Lambert, has only to break the single Mark O’Connor tackle and then thumps through a tumbling 55m kick on the run.
After all the talk about the Cats locking down tight on Martin without room to breathe it was an astonishing lapse from Blicavs.
DUSTY'S KICKED THREE 🌟 pic.twitter.com/90PtMrtwAQ
— 7AFL (@7AFL) October 24, 2020
8. 2019 Grand Final, third quarter, 7.24 remaining
GWS is already 42 points down and done for but Martin is hunting another Normie, receiving Daniel Rioli’s low handball trapped on the boundary line. He has a metre of space but as Sam Taylor slings him to the ground he finds the poise to snap over his shoulder deep in the pocket. Give any rival 20 chances and they would be found wanting but Martin kicks truly to put his foot to the neck of a beaten-down GWS.
Outstanding goal from Dustin Martin!#AFLGF pic.twitter.com/V8hSTBob6J
— AFL (@AFL) September 28, 2019
9. 2019 Grand Final, last quarter, 54 seconds remaining
This is gravy for Martin, who already has the Norm Smith Medal sewn up with Richmond basking in a 77-point lead. Patrolling along the 50m line the ball spins into space, where he collects, saunters past Shane Mumford and runs to 45m to kick across his body. His greatest challenge is beating off a Trent Cotchin celebratory mauling, given all the skills on offer – the perfect collect, the ability to evade Mumford’s challenge, the cross-the-body drop punt – just come naturally to this gifted individual.
TGM: Dustin Martin finishes in style by going around the corner from 50 metres out #AFLGF pic.twitter.com/SXD4lJAK87
— Lace out (@laceoutofficial) October 5, 2019
10. 2017 Grand Final, last quarter, six minutes remaining
Richmond’s lead is already 47 points as he out-bodies Jake Lever at a forward-50 stoppage. The Norm Smith might already be in his keeping by this stage but his glorious snap in acres of space is the final dagger for Adelaide and the confirmation the judges needed that he is the Grand Final’s most dominant performer. Martin sets off in a victory dance chased by teammates.
“Oh yeah, that‘s the cream on the most beautiful cake imaginable,” gushes Bruce McAvaney.
PICTURE SPECIAL: TIGERS STORM TO PREMIERSHIP
It’s been a Grand Final match packed with dramatic moments from the first bounce.
Here are the best pictures of the Cats v Tigers.
DON’T MISS YOUR 24-PAGE WRAP SOUVENIR SUNDAY HERALD SUN
Originally published as AFL Grand Final 2020: All the best moments from Cats v Tigers