Dustin Martin’s value rises again after sublime performance against North Melbourne

ANOTHER sublime display from Dustin Martin helped bury North Melbourne, a team that desperately covets him and might now have to find a lot more coin to lure him.

Dustin Martin hugs Trent Cotchin after the captain kicked a goal. Picture: AAP

IT was the five-hour stretch in which two of the game’s hottest off-season properties had rival suitors punching a new set of numbers into their ­salary-cap ­calculators.

In the first instance, it was GWS midfielder Josh Kelly — the subject of a $9 million nine-year deal from North Melbourne — who dominated at Spotless Stadium.

Then just a few hours after Kelly almost single-handedly buried Essendon, it was the Kangaroos’ other $1-million-plus off-season priority, Richmond star Dustin Martin who turned into another absolute clinic at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night.

Martin’s ridiculously sublime performance — one of many this season — helped to bury the team that so desperately covets him and who now might have to find considerably more coin to entice him away from Punt Rd.

He had a game-high 38 disposals (the same tally as Kelly), stretched out 677 metres gained, and showed precisely why so many clubs are so keen on securing his services.

Mind you, given the way the Tigers played their way into the top four with their 35-point win, they are feeling a bit more confident Martin may stay.

Dustin Martin races away from Ben Cunnington. Picture: AAP

If it is going to take Richmond the best part of $1 million to keep him, the Kangaroos are clearly going to have to up their already considerable ante if they are to have any hope of luring him away from Punt Rd.

For if he was choosing solely between the two sides on Saturday night’s game, rather than salary, the yellow and black would get the points.

Martin was the subject of a banner from a North Melbourne supporter, with the message that he was more than welcome at Arden St.

The man himself was amused by that showing of love from an unlikely source, saying it was “a good night” and that the good wishes he received made for a “win-win” for him.

Martin tries to shrug off Shaun Atley. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

Surely, this time there could be no one among the 36,100 fans at the ground last night, or those watching on television, who doubted he was the best man afield, as was the case last week.

He provided his team with precisely what they needed — clean, direct ball use, brute strength, exquisite footy nous and the capacity to move the ball into clear space — all of which were sadly missing from the Kangaroos for most of the night.

Six minutes of madness in the third term — where 50m penalties and infringements seemed to flow like confetti — turned the game and the ill-discipline and lack of composure would have infuriated Kangaroos coach Brad Scott.

Robbie Tarrant and Jack Riewoldt crash into the fence after a vigorous Riewoldt tackle. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

His team had gone into the halftime break with a two-point lead after a scrappy first half from both sides.

But the Kangaroos proceeded to concede six goals to one in a game-defining third quarter.

Martin labelled Richmond’s third term as the “best quarter we’ve played all year” when interviewed on Channel Seven after the game.

He played a key role in it, as did others including Trent Cotchin, Bachar Houli, Dion Prestia, and the man whose own form is almost as hot as Martin’s right now, Alex Rance.

Trent Cotchin catches Shaun Higgins. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

In contrast, the Kangaroos got too little out of too many, and couldn’t run out what was an exceptionally quick last half, which saw the Tigers push through the 100-point barrier.

It remains to be seen if Martin will stay, but team performances like that will surely give the Tigers’ renewed confidence they are at least doing everything possible to keep him.

For the moment, though, the only place he is headed is New Zealand, to visit his father, Shane, during the Tigers’ bye weekend — and given his year so far, he’s earned the break.

NORTH MELBOURNE 2.4 7.6 8.9 9.12 (66)

RICHMOND 3.4 6.10 12.13 14.17 (101)

GOALS

Kangaroos: Wood 2, Atley 2, Brown, Waite, Higgins, Gibson, Hansen

Tigers: Riewoldt 2, Martin 2, Butler 2, Lambert 2, Castagna, Cotchin, Edwards, Ellis, Grigg, Rioli

BEST

Kangaroos: Macmillan, Gibson, Tarrant, Ziebell, Dumont

Tigers: Martin, Houli, Cotchin, Prestia, Rance, Lambert, Ellis, Astbury, Nankervis

INJURIES

Kangaroos: Garner (leg)

Tigers: Nil

Reports: Nil

Official crowd: 36,100 at Etihad Stadium