Dustin Martin is back to his best in his old Puma boots

Dustin Martin hasn’t been at his best this season but in the past two weeks he’s recaptured the form that saw him become the best player in the game in 2017. So what’s changed? We reveal what’s old is new again for the superstar Tiger.

Dustin Martin has recaptured the form that saw him become the AFL’s best player in 2017 over the past two weeks as Richmond has roared back in premiership calculations.

So what’s the secret behind his form turnaround?

What’s old is new again — Martin has switched back to his old Puma EvoPower boots, the boots that he won the Brownlow Medal, North Smith Medal and premiership in two years ago, after short stints in Nike and adidas.

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The Richmond superstar famously split with sponsor Puma in April, just one year into a new four-year deal with the company.

He’s been on the lookout for new boots ever since, trialling Nike’s Phantom VNM Elite boots before giving adidas’s Copa 19.1 a crack.

But neither of those boots has satisfied the 27-year-old, with Martin wearing his old Pumas in Rounds 9 and 10.

Dustin Martin wore his favourite Puma boots against the Hawks. Picture: Michael Klein

He also wore them for Dreamtime at the ‘G. Picture: Michael Klein

His last two weeks have seen him return to his dynamic best, gathering 37 disposals, six marks and two goals in the win over Hawthorn before backing it up against Essendon with 35 disposals and seven marks.

Martin received the maximum 10 votes from the coaches in the AFLCA Champion Player of the Year award in the win over the Hawks in Round 9, while he polled seven votes in Dreamtime at the ‘G.

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Is there more to this boot superstition than we thought?

Martin had previously gathered 30 disposals just once this season — in Round 1 — while he had polled votes from the coaches just twice — nine votes in Round 5 and one vote in Round 1.

Martin trials a pair of Nike boots. Picture: Michael Klein

He’s also worn adidas boots this season. Picture: Getty

Since he returned to the trusty Puma EvoPowers, Martin has averaged 36 disposals, compared to just 21.9 in Rounds 1-8 and is averaging a massive 654 metres gained — over 300m more than his 342m average to start the year.

The superstar has also recaptured his spark at the contest, averaging nine clearances and 13.5 contested possessions for game.

The Herald Sun reported in April Martin’s relationship with Puma hit a snag when the company no longer made available the EvoPower boots.

Puma said in a statement it had been “working closely with Martin through a transition period to the new style of Puma boot but through this process it has been agreed upon by both parties to end the relationship”.

DUSTIN MARTIN IN 2019

STAT	ROUNDS 1-8	ROUNDS 9-10
Disposals	21.9	36.0
Kicking efficiency	55.3%	55.0%
Metres gained	342	654
Contested possessions	11.0	13.5
Clearances	3.4	9.0
Score involvements	6.7	6.5
Goals	0.7	1.0