Dustin Martin opens up on premiership ‘dream’ he still hasn’t achieved

Dustin Martin has done literally everything you can in the AFL but there is still one thing he wants to do as he reaches 250 games.

Richmond Tigers star Dustin Martin has put together a career that has him spoken about in the same breath as the legends of the game.

Three premierships, the only man to win three Norm Smith Medals and the 2017 Brownlow Medal, Martin appears headed for “legend” status at the end of his career.

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Still only 29, Martin could have plenty more time still to go in his career.

It feels like Martin has been around forever and achieved everything there is to achieve ahead of his 250th game against the Melbourne Demons on Saturday night at the MCG.

In a rare interview with Nick Riewoldt before the season began, Martin admitted he couldn’t separate his premierships — or Norm Smith medals — as “each of them are special in their own unique way”.

While he couldn’t separate the wins so far, one thing would make a four title even more special — if he could do it in front of his dad.

Shane Martin, a former high-ranking member of the Rebels motorcycle gang, lived in Australia for three decades before he was deported in 2016 after his visa was cancelled on grounds of character.

He has previously faced charges of assault and burglary, while in 2004 he received a two-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, for aiding and abetting in drugs trafficking.

He was turned away again in February 2020 despite claiming Indigenous heritage.

The pair together in New Zealand.

But Martin hasn’t given up hope of celebrating a premiership with his dad in the stadium.

“It’s been a massive challenge but it is what it is,” Martin said. “I love my dad and he’s made me the man I am today. I have full belief that he’ll be back here to watch us win another flag. That’s my dream to be able to have the old man with the rest of the family and watch the Tiges win another flag.”

Martin doesn’t do a lot of interviews in a season and said he gets nervous in front of the camera but it’s clear he shuns the spotlight, apart from when he’s on the footy field.

And there are few players who turn it on for big games like Dustin Martin.

He left the AFL world gobsmacked in the 2020 Grand Final, when he turned the game himself with a stunning four goal performance — all solo efforts — to run away with a 31-point win.

Riewoldt said it was a stunning turnaround after he felt at halftime that “Geelong have got them” — that is, until Martin took control.

But even looking back, Martin couldn’t help but downplay it.

“It’s hard, footy can be such a random game, you can’t really plan what’s going to happen,” he said. “A bit like that game, we started a bit slow and we just built. I just knew that if I kept calm and kept being ready for the opportunity that when my chance came, I was going to take it.”

Dustin Martin is just too good.

It has the talk of Martin being arguably the greatest player to play the game.

Fellow legend Leigh Matthews said last year on Nine’s The Sunday Footy Show that “Dusty’s the only player I don’t get insulted being compared to”.

But again, it’s just water off Martin’s back, although that doesn’t mean he doesn’t take the time to smell the roses.

“It’s extremely humbling to hear these things from people but that’s just their opinion and I try not to get too caught up on other people’s opinions whether positive or negative,” he said. “I always just come back to what I can control.

“Life moves so fast, I think it’s super important to reflect on those things. I remember I was on the Goldie after the Grand Final, probably three weeks after the game, it’d been a big couple of weeks celebrating, and I went out and just sat on the balcony where I was and just took a moment to reflect, rang a few people from the club, sent out a few texts. I think it is really special to reflect.”

Originally published as Dustin Martin opens up on premiership ‘dream’ he still hasn’t achieved