Richmond star Dustin Martin produced one of the great finals goals against Hawthorn at the MCG
THERE was one question that needed to be asked after Dustin Martin’s stunning goal against Hawthorn. Could any other player in the league pull it off? MARK ROBINSON looks at the huge moment.
Mark Robinson
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ONE OF the great finals goals came from one of the great modern coaching inventions.
Dustin Martin’s effort from the Ponsford Stand pocket — give or take a foot from where Wayne Harmes knocked the ball to Carlton teammate Ken Sheldon in 1979 in what was another great finals moment — was the beauty on an ugly, tough and sodden MCG.
Martin’s goal was one thing, teammate Daniel Rioli contesting the ruck against Jon Ceglar, which led to Martin’s breathtaking snap from the boundary line, was another.
It was 2018 footy.
GAME RECAP: HOW THE TIGERS TOPPED THE HAWKS
STAT RECAP: WHO STOOD TALL FOR TIGERS, HAWKS
Ceglar is 204cm and 97kg. Rioli is 179cm and 75kg.
Yet, they squared up for the boundary throw-in, which, of course, was won by Ceglar.
Jack Higgins gathered the tap-out, had his kick smothered, Shane Edwards knocked the loose ball to Kane Lambert, who handpassed to Martin, who kicked the goal.
It reads simple enough, yet it was hardly a training drill.
For one, the pressure, as it was for most of the first half, was absolute, and when Martin received the ball, his major opponent, Daniel Howe, was in pursuit.
GET OUT OF HERE DUSTY!
— AFL (@AFL) September 6, 2018
YOU'RE KIDDING!#AFLFinals pic.twitter.com/LeemsbrcUJ
That Martin, at top pace, was able to balance, steady and kick a drop punt across his body in a second — and then find the gap between the goalposts — was remarkable. It’s difficult to pick another player on the ground, let alone in the league, who could do what Martin did.
Maybe Luke Breust. Probably Lance Franklin. I would like to see Steele Sidebottom have a crack.
It’s by the by anyway, because on Thursday night, when the match needed a game-changer, it was Martin who delivered.
Not just that goal in the second quarter, but for all of the first half and most of the second half.
The Tigers won by 31 points and it wasn’t entirely unexpected.
In fact, watch their finals matches last year and watch Thursday night again and the similarities are unmistakeable if you’re a Tigers fan and disturbing for opposition fans.
Pressure. Turnover. Keep the ball moving forward by hand, by foot and by body. That equals Richmond.
In the third quarter, when they opened up the game, the Tigers kicked 5.6 to 2.3. Ten of those scoring opportunities came through forward-half stoppages and turnovers, which effectively is their left and right bower.
The inside-50 count in that quarter was 22-9. In total, it was 67-37, a demolishing.
What’s frightening for their preliminary final opponent is their turnover game. It was extraordinary. They created 45 forward-half turnovers, the second most recorded in a final behind Geelong in 2016.
That’s the Tigers’ game plan to a T and, just as they promised, they delivered it.
Who says a team can’t flick the switch? The rain came at the start of the game and, as expected, so did Hawthorn’s pressure.
It rated 217, which is off the charts, but, like plenty of teams before them, the Hawks couldn’t go the distance, or stay the course with the premiers.
This wasn’t a game for finesse — other than the exquisiteness from Martin — it was kicking off the ground, putting body on body, applying pressure, and if you don’t win the ball that time, you apply pressure again. Now times that by 36 players.
The Hawks ended up applying more pressure than the Tigers, but the ball lived in Richmond’s forward half for far too long to allow the Hawks to master the scoreboard.
Every easy opportunity had to be taken. They weren’t.
Breust missed a goal in the second quarter from 15m and Shaun Burgoyne did the same in the first quarter. They are gun players, but those misses were unforgivable in a final.
The defeat means they ride again, but they will do it without Ben Stratton, who ripped a hamstring.
Harry Morrison, Jarman Impey, Conor Nash and James Worpel will be better for the finals experience, but the reality is, and even though it was in difficult conditions, they needed more from Jack Gunston, Breust and Paul Puopolo. Then again, it’s hard to score when you have just 37 entries.
The Tigers march on and rest up. Only Nathan Broad would be marginally worried about his position and the rest pick themselves for the preliminary final. Kamdyn McIntosh kicked three goals, as did Dan Rioli. We’ve seen that before — a Rioli influencing a final.
And the same could be said of the Tigers.
We watched Thursday night what we witnessed last year and only a handful of people would think they won’t do it again.
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Originally published as Richmond star Dustin Martin produced one of the great finals goals against Hawthorn at the MCG