GWS cruises to big win over Richmond as Giants get under Dustin Martin’s skin
Richmond bad boy Dustin Martin is likely to find himself in strife after a string of on-field meltdowns in which a ruthless GWS took advantage — but Tigers coach Damien Hardwick wasn’t happy at the treatment his star received.
AFL News
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Dustin Martin’s spectacular meltdown at Giants Stadium prompted Richmond coach Damien Hardwick to attack umpires for allowing GWS to get away with blue murder in provoking his under-siege superstar.
Rampant GWS forward Jeremy Cameron booted seven goals in his team’s thumping 49-point triumph, but not before Giants hard man Matt de Boer had niggled Martin into committing a series of brain explosions which has the Brownlow champion now facing punishment from the AFL.
Martin will be scrutinised by the match review committee for an off-the-ball shoulder to the head of Giant Adam Kennedy, but perhaps the ugliest vision was footage of him unleashing a foul-mouthed spray on a GWS player, which included a middle-finger salute and a gesture referencing drug use.
FRUSTRATED: DIMMA’S BEEF WITH DUSTY TREATMENT
SUPERCOACH: ALL THE ROUND 3 SCORES
Television cameras captured a fired-up Martin tapping his nose and appearing to mouth the words, “have another f***ing line you f***ing loser” in a none-too-subtle sledge directed at a Giants player, in a game where Shane Mumford was playing his first game since historic video emerged of him snorting a white powder.
Social media also speculated Martin’s sledge might have been directed at Giant Lachie Whitfield (career-high 40 disposals), who was suspended for evading a drug test back in 2016.
Post-match, Mumford said he was “abusing” Martin from the other side of the field, but insisted he had no knowledge of the response, let alone whether or not it was directed at him.
“Oh I’ve got no idea. No idea. I was abusing him from the other side of the field I know that,” said Mumford as he returned strongly in the 125-76 blitz which featured 18 Giants goals, including five to Jeremy FInlayson.
“… But I didn’t see it so it didn’t have any effect.”
Dustin Martin gave away a free kick in this incident.#AFLGiantsTigers pic.twitter.com/g4EaF30bQA
— AFL (@AFL) April 6, 2019
Hardwick may also come under examination from the AFL after appearing to confirm an ABC Grandstand report that he had sprayed match officials at half-time over Martin’s treatment.
De Boer’s extraordinary tagging job on one of the game’s best restricted Martin to just 15 disposals, his lowest count since round one, 2015.
Post-match, Hardwick doubled down in his claim that Martin’s reaction in jumper-punching de Boer and laying out Kennedy was justified based on the lack of action taken by umpires to protect him.
“Why do you reckon he might give away that free kick?” retorted Hardwick.
“At the end of the day, blokes come to watch the No.4 play. Let the bloke play the game. Protect the ball carrier is what I’m saying. Don’t get me wrong, de Boer did a terrific job but geez…
“Well I’m certainly frustrated. I’d be interested to see what the umpiring fraternity says about it.”
Asked would he take it up with the AFL, Hardwick said “I don’t bother,” before admitting he confronted match officials about it mid-game.
“Well I was just asking their responsibility to the ball player. I didn’t get a response.”
Giants coach Leon Cameron said he didn’t see any issue with the way de Boer tagged Martin and praised his charge for his tenacity.
“I thought Matty de Boer played a really good, fair game. He’s a ball player. He plays really tight and I’m really proud of the job he did … I thought he did a terrific job,” said Cameron, who believes Martin is simply “going through a form slump.”
CAMERON SET FOR DOMINANT SEASON
Jeremy Cameron declared a couple of weeks ago that the new six-six-six rules has opened the doors for a forward to wind back the clock and kick 100 goals this season.
On current form, Cameron may well be that player.
Despite copping a knee to his right shoulder in the first half which had him badly holding that arm for the rest of the match, Cameron was an ominous presence in front of goal.
Cameron has kicked 14 in his first three matches, doubling his season count yesterday, and once again set the tone for the Giants against one of the competition favourites.
GWS’ forward line let them down badly against West Coast in round two, but Cameron and Finlayson (three goals) righted the ship back at home, with Toby Greene still to come back.
Shane Mumford made a successful return to the AFL after 18 months retired and had 14 touches.
MORE INJURY DRAMAS
As well as the concerns over Cameron’s shoulder, GWS were also left sweating over the fitness of dynamic back Zac Williams, who had to get treatment on a shoulder problem in the first half.
But the biggest setback for the Giants was the loss of promising 25-year-old Tommy Sheridan to a calf injury in his first match for the club.
Sheridan is facing an extended stint on the sidelines, a double blow given veteran Brett Deledio was earlier last week ruled out with a calf injury.
For the Tigers, Jayden Short suffered a sickening elbow dislocation in the first quarter and Trent Cotchin also picked up a hamstring problem. Hardwick said the severity was unknown with both.
Richmond have hardly had an injury for two years but now have an alarming casualty ward.
LYNCH PULLING HIS WEIGHT
Star Richmond forward Tom Lynch kicked four goals in a losing side following an enthralling match-up with Giants defender Phil Davis.
Davis tried to get himself in front of Lynch at every opportunity, and levelled three tackles and 14 disposals — leading the possessions count after the first quarter.
Richmond’s Daniel Rioli was left bruised and battered following a crunching Davis hit early in the match.
Lynch had a golden chance to peg the Giants’ lead back inside 20 in the final quarter only to spill the mark over the line with no GWS defenders in sight.
GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY 2.4 8.7 13.10 19.11 (125)
RICHMOND 3.6 5.10 9.14 10.16 (76)
Goals: Greater WesternSydney: J Cameron 7 J Finlayson 5 J Hopper 2 T Taranto 2 B Daniels H Himmelberg J Kelly. Richmond: T Lynch 4 D Rioli 3 J HigginsK Lambert S Stack.
Best: GWS: Cameron, Finlayson, Whitfield, De Boer, Coniglio, Taranto, Davis
Richmond: Lambert, Stack, Lynch, Edwards, Nankervis
Umpires: Shane McInerney, Brent Wallace, Nathan Williamson
Official Crowd: 12,697 at Giants Stadium
BEN HORNE’S VOTES:
3 Jeremy Cameron (GWS)
2 Jeremy Finlayson (GWS)
1 Lachie Whitfield (GWS)
Originally published as GWS cruises to big win over Richmond as Giants get under Dustin Martin’s skin
Best 23 locked in? Crows unleash four-headed monster
If what we saw from Adelaide’s forward line on Friday is a sign of things to come, opposition defenders are officially on notice. Get all the intel as the Crows reveal more about their best side.
Match sim intel: Horse returns, young Swans shine, Mills’ move
With former coach John Longmire watching on, a number young Swans took it up to their more experience teammates in another high-intensity four-quarter hitout. Here’s how it all played out.