Dustin Martin could win the Coleman Medal if played as a permanent forward, Dane Swan says

THERE aren’t too many awards left for Dustin Martin to win but close mate and former Magpie Dane Swan believes the superstar Tiger could win the Coleman Medal as the AFL’s leading goalkicker if played forward.

DUSTIN Martin could add the Coleman Medal to his arsenal of awards if Richmond chose to play the Brownlow medallist forward for an entire season, according to his mate Dane Swan.

In an exclusive column for the Herald Sun Footy 18 magazine, Swan suggested Martin could kick in the vicinity of 60-plus goals if his coach Damien Hardwick opted to play him in attack.

Swan said he would be one of the game’s most dangerous forward weapons if that was to happen.

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“It’s going to be hard for Dusty to improve on last year,” Swan said of the man who won almost every award imaginable last year, including the Norm Smith Medal, the Brownlow, the AFL Coaches’ Association award and an AFL premiership medal in a stellar 2017 season.

“I don’t know what else he could do ... he is probably going to win the Coleman, too, ... which he could if they played him forward for the whole season.”

Is Dustin Martin capable of winning the Coleman Medal if played as a permanent forward? Picture: Alex Coppel

Four of the past six winners of the Coleman Medal have kicked fewer than 70 goals in a season, with last year’s winner, Sydney’s Lance Franklin, booting 69 goals.

Martin, 26, kicked a career-high 37.29 from 25 games last year, with his ability to push forward at stages and dominate one-on-one contests being a massive advantage for the Tigers.

“I’m sure Richmond would be looking at various ways of trying to improve him, even if it is going to be next to impossible, given how well he went last year,” Swan said.

“Kicking even more goals might be a way of doing that.”

Swan was certain Martin, who made his AFL return in Saturday’s JLT Series game against Essendon, wouldn’t be changed by the most intense year of his football career.

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“I can’t imagine him changing,” he said. “He hasn’t got a big head and he doesn’t walk around as if he is a king, or that he has won all these medals.

“A lot of people (in his position) would have an inflated egos; he hasn’t. He had great teammates around him, and his family and friends, who keep him grounded.

Martin won basically every AFL award last year. Picture: Michael Klein

“He has a great relationship with Trent (Cotchin). He lived with him for a few years in the early part of his career and he would have no doubt helped him form some good habits.

“I don’t know Trent, but he is a professional and he seems pretty much like (Scott) Pendlebury. They have probably been pretty good traits for Dustin to follow.”

He said “the sky’s the future” for 26-year-old Martin as he heads into the first season of his seven-year contract.

“The future is he can do whatever he likes.”

WHERE TO GET YOUR COPY OF FOOTY 18

Footy18 is available from Saturday, March 3 onwards — while stocks last at participating newsagents in Victoria and Tasmania.

Cost is $4.95 plus purchase price of that day’s Herald Sun.

You can purchase Footy 18 simply by purchasing the newspaper at participating newsagent — PLUS for home delivery customers and customers who choose to purchase their magazine at a different outlet to where they purchase their paper, a token will also be printed in paper on Saturday March 3, Sunday March 4 and Monday March 5 to be used as proof of purchase.

Footy18 can also be purchased by calling the Herald Sun Shop on 1300 306 107 or online at heraldsun.com.au/shop