Nick Robertson says he learnt plenty being on the receiving end of a Dustin Martin masterclass

FIRST Nick Robertson heatbutted Trent Cotchin, then he gave Dustin Martin a ‘few too many whacks’. It was round 17 and the young Lion learnt some very valuable lessons at Etihad Stadium.

Dustin Martin gets to know Nick Robertson in Round 17.

RICHMOND superstar Dustin Martin cruised around in almost a Zen-like state on the way towards a cupboard full of medals and accolades.

But the then soon-to-be minted Brownlow and Norm Smith Medallist cracked during a prickly Round 17 clash with Brisbane Lions firebrand Nick Robertson.

Robertson punched and probed, niggled and nudged, as he tried to slow the Tiger locomotive on track towards 40 disposals, two goals and three Brownlow votes.

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Martin, eventually, had a gut full of the dark arts and responded with a swinging arm of his own.

“A few whacks here and there,” Robertson laughed.

“I wasn’t really saying much because I couldn’t say ‘you’re going sh**house or anything’.

Dustin Martin fends off Nick Robertson during their Round 17 clash.

“He’s just a bloody good player so I thought I’d give him a whack here and there and a few too many whacks and he retaliated which is good.

“It’s always good when you get that retaliation, that’s when you know you’ve got them so keep doing it.”

Luckily for Martin the retaliation attracted only a $1500 fine from the match review panel and not a Brownlow-stripping suspension.

Martin was at the peak of his powers, when the young Lions travelled to Etihad Stadium to face the eventual premiers, having rattled off four best-on-ground performances in seven games.

But Robertson, who was suspended for headbutting Trent Cotchin early in the same game, enjoyed the contest.

“I like playing on good players because you learn a lot yourself,” Robertson told the Herald Sun during the Lions summer camp in Launceston.

Nick Robertson also tangled with Lance Franklin at the SCG. Picture: Phil Hillyard

“He’s obviously a freak, he’s got a lot of talent there and going through the midfield is somewhere I’d love to play one day, I think playing on the best obviously helps you develop yourself.”

Robertson, who completed a real estate licence during the season and plans on adding a Certificate 4 in property development, also tangled with ‘Bondi billionaire’ Lance Franklin in Round 7.

The Sydney Swans superstar wanted to run back inside 50, after roaming up the ground, but Robertson wasn’t about to give up the valuable territory easily, despite some pointed advice from the champion goalkicker.

“He didn’t really like it,” Robertson said.

“He told me, ‘you do that again mate I’m going to flog you’ and sure enough he turned around and gave me one.

But Robertson knows any biff and banter must be within the rules.

“You don’t want to give away free kicks so I’ve got to find the line where you can get under their skin a little bit so they retaliate then you get the free kick,” Robertson said.

“It is a bit old school but old school works sometimes.”