When push comes to shove, Richmond’s Dustin Martin is footy’s undisputed broken tackle king
THE AFL’s biggest game-breaker is Richmond champion Dustin Martin. But you’ll never guess how far ahead of the pack Dusty is. The stats don’t argue.
Richmond
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YOU can’t argue with these numbers.
Richmond superstar Dustin Martin has smashed the all-time broken tackles record, leaving 82 opponents grasping for air ahead of today’s MCG premiership decider.
Daylight comes in second followed by Cats champ Patrick Dangerfield on 26.
Martin has dished out 160 of his legendary ‘don’t argues’ since the start of 2014 — miles clear of second-placed Western Bulldog Jake Stringer (86).
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Dusty registered eight broken tackles alone in last week’s preliminary final triumph against Greater Western Sydney.
The Brownlow medallist told the Herald Sun he wasn’t sure when he first developed the steel arm fend-off.
“It was under-18s, I suppose, that’s when I started using it a little bit,” Martin said at the AFL Grand Final parade.
“I get asked about the ‘don’t argue’ all the time but it’s just a natural instinct, I suppose, if someone is in the way.”
Asked if he was nervous playing in the Tigers’ first Grand Final since 1982, Martin said: “I haven’t thought about the game too much, I’m just soaking it all up and enjoying it.
“Obviously, we’ve got a massive supporter base, so it’s awesome.”
Richmond’s 2017 resurgence has been remarkable.
The Tigers lost their final game last season against Sydney at the SCG by 113 points and were rated a $67 chance to win the flag at the start of the year.
Martin said the turnaround was based on a bit of tinkering, some hard work and close relationships.
“The club had a bit of a refresh over the summer, we got some new people in and everyone was just hungry to get better and obviously it’s paid off and it’s good,” he said.
He said the impact of skipper Trent Cotchin on the group had been “huge”.
“He’s a great leader a great friend and a good person,” Martin said.
Martin’s teammate Jason Castagna has played all 24 games this season on a base salary of just $70,000.
It’s a far cry from the $8 million-plus Martin will pocket across the next seven seasons, but Castagna said the playing group had never been more united.
“We didn’t have the season we wanted last year, but I think we really looked into the connection at the club and tried to build our relationships,” Castagna said.
“We were good friends but now we are a pretty strong-knit group and it’s taken us a long way.”
Tigers midfielder Kane Lambert has travelled the hard road for his shot at premiership glory.
Lambert was overlooked in six national drafts and played at Preston and then Williamstown before winning a spot on the Tigers’ rookie list three years ago.
“It probably sits a bit uncomfortably for me sitting up here in front of all these people,” Lambert said.
“A mature-age rookie from Preston — it’s far from what I expected but I am very, very grateful for the opportunity Richmond have given me and I’m hoping I can repay the faith.”
Tiger cub Jack Graham, 19, will play just his fifth AFL game in the Grand Final after breaking into the senior side in Round 22.
A Crows supporter growing up, Graham watched last year’s ‘granny’ on TV in Adelaide sipping beers with his mates.
“People have gone 300 games without playing a final, so I’m very lucky and fortunate but a lot of hard work has gone into that as well,” Graham said.
Martin said he had dished out about a dozen Grand Final tickets to friends and family, including former West Coast Eagles and St Kilda ruckman Michael Gardiner.
“The Big Show, he’ll be there,” Martin said.
“He’s a good mate of mine. He took me under his wing four or five years ago and he’s a great man.”
Dusty plans to jet out to Las Vegas with his other great mate, former Magpies star Dane Swan, in the coming weeks.
On Monday night Martin picked up a Brownlow Medal to match Swan’s 2011 achievement.
At 5pm on Saturday he hopes to pocket something else that Swanny has — a shiny premiership medallion.
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