Dustin Martin dominates for a new-look Richmond in season-opening win against Carlton
DUSTIN Martin should wake up on Friday to find a contract under his front doormat. But he wasn’t the only reason to be impressed about Richmond’s first win of 2017, writes JAY CLARK.
Richmond
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DUSTIN Martin should wake up on Friday to find a contract under his front doormat.
Five years, $4 million. Dusty, please sign here, love: the Tigers.
The gun midfielder was going to wait out the year to see how the new-look Tigers fared this season before re-signing, but maybe all the evidence he needed was on show on Thursday night as his meaner, slicker, faster Tigers brushed aside Carlton by 43 points in an entertaining season-opener.
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It was hard to know what to be most impressed with from Richmond.
Certainly, the Tigers played differently.
The chip-chip, slow and sideways ball movement from last year is clearly out the window and has been replaced with quick run and carry and brave kicking up the middle.
They looked electric with the footy last night at times, and they tackled.
Richmond had 86 tackles, 10 more than their best effort last season.
Carlton showed plenty of ticker and when Matthew Wright caught Alex Rance holding the ball with a desperate lunging tackle late in the third term the Blues had cut the lead to 25 points.
But it’s all about development at Carlton this year and second-year tall Jacob Weitering looked at home in a new key forward role, booting three goals despite a nasty knock to the hip.
Sam Petrevski-Seton is said to be the most exciting young Carlton player to walk in the club since Chris Judd arrived, and he zigzagged through tight spaces in his first AFL game, while captain Marc Murphy helped keep the Blues in the match throughout the third quarter, showing he is over last year’s ankle problems.
But four-goal star Martin sealed the win for Richmond, producing a trademark fend-off on Sam Docherty two minutes into the last term that allowed Daniel Rioli to goal from almost 50m.
It was signature stuff from Martin, who put on a show at the MCG.
He nailed three goals by halftime and would have bagged another if he did not give a near-backwards handpass to youngster Butler at point-blank range in the first term, just to bring the debutant into the game early.
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It was one of the most unselfish giveaways you will see for the season from a man who clearly belongs at Punt Rd.
Martin handed off another easy one to Shaun Grigg late in the fourth, giving the Tigers 12 individual goalkickers and their first 120-plus score in two years.
Even Marc Maclure would have given Dusty three votes tonight #klomp #shenton
— Jon Ralph (@RalphyHeraldSun) March 23, 2017
Spearhead Jack Riewoldt returned to his deep forward role and, with snappy youngsters Dan Butler, Jason Castagna and Daniel Rioli flashing around at his heels, the dual Coleman medallist looked as happy as we have seen him on the field in some time.
There’s more pace, and more options in attack.
Richmond made a big effort to beef-up its midfield in last year’s trade period and made a brilliant start in the clinches, putting the young Blues to the sword at the stoppages.
Recruit Dion Prestia also took charge in the engine room, allowing Martin and Trent Cotchin to do some damage forward. The midfield has much more depth, balance and snarl this year.
And Prestia’s toughness and onball nous was central to the season-opening win, helping allay any fears about Richmond giving away its top draft pick (No. 6) for him last year.
You could also see why coach Damien Hardwick has been so taken by Toby Nankervis in his first preseason. The former Swan made an immediate impression with his physicality, shoving his opponent out of the way at a boundary throw-in and slamming the ball on his boot for an early goal.
He looks like one of the pick-ups of the year.
But maybe what Richmond fans would have loved most about this win was the tackling pressure.
Richmond has not been a good tackling side for a decade, but the Tigers swarmed and hunted the Blues like we haven’t seen from the yellow and black in years.
JAY CLARK’S VOTES:
3 Dustin Martin (Rich), 2 Dion Prestia (Rich), 1 Shaun Grigg (Rich)
Richmond best
Martin, Prestia, Grigg, Vlastuin, Cotchin, Castagna, Rioli, Nankervis,
Carlton best
Murphy, Gibbs, Weitering, Marchbank, Docherty, Kreuzer, Plowman
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