George Hewett set for biggest assignment, against Richmond dynamo Dustin Martin

GEORGE Hewett’s reputation as Sydney’s muscle man looks set for its ultimate test on Saturday against the AFL’s best and baddest player Dustin Martin.

George Hewett in action for Sydney against Hawthorn.

GEORGE Hewett’s fast-growing reputation as Sydney’s muscle man looks set for its ultimate test on Saturday as he braces to go head-to-head with the AFL’s best and baddest player Dustin Martin.

Fresh from silencing last year’s Norm Smith Medallist Jason Johanissen last week, Hewett is firming for an assignment against Richmond’s short-priced favourite for the Brownlow Medal.

The Swans have declared they’re still being driven by a dogged self-belief they can play finals football, but standing in their way is fearsome Tigers superstar Martin, who has built an almost indisputable reputation as the premier footballer in the league.

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Western Bulldogs dasher Johanissen might have engineered the Swans’ Grand Final downfall, but Hewett hit back with a vengeance last Thursday to completely shut down the gun premiership-winning defender in a game-defining match-up for Sydney.

Hewett showed how strong he is one-on-one in the way he lassoed Johanissen, but his challenge will go to a whole new level if coach John Longmire entrusts him as the man to take down Martin.

One of the most physical players in the AFL, Martin loves to fend and thrives on the body contact.

Jason Johannisen was shut down by George Hewitt. Picture: George Salpigtidis

Stopping Dustin Martin is Sydney’s next big test.

Hewett’s challenge may be to corral Martin like a sheep herder and suffocate his movement up field while still keeping himself at an arm’s length where possible.

If the Swans are to close the two-game gap between them and the top eight this showdown against the Tigers at the MCG is do-or-die.

“Everyone says they take it week-by-week but that (finals) is the main drive,” Hewett said.

“That we can still mathematically make the finals — there’s no point thinking of anything else.

“It’s the main thing and if we keep winning it takes care of itself. Obviously Richmond are in the top four and looking very strong this year. If we get the job done we’ll take a lot of confidence out of it, that’s for sure.”

On Martin, Hewett tried to play down his potential role.

“He obviously thrives on the contested side of the game,” he said. “But we just need to be harder for longer and it’s not going to be one bloke … it’s going to have to be all 18 of us.”

However, in reflecting on the job he did on Johanissen, Hewett admits the Swans realised they simply had to be ruthless.

George Hewett in the thick of the action.

“I was on him for a bit … He’s obviously hurt us in the past, last year especially,” he said.

“I guess it was just trying to take him out of the game as much as we could. We respect him as a player and that’s why we did what we had to do.”

For Martin, the stakes will rise. Hewett is part of the gun trio the Swans blooded early last year alongside Callum Mills and Tom Papley.

He has barely missed a beat or a match for the Swans since his debut in Round 1 of 2016, and now Hewett is bristling at criticism the Swans have compromised their list and have no depth.

According to Hewett, the seven rookies the club blooded last year, and the six debutants to play already in 2017 have what it takes to drive this Swans side into the future.

“If you look at our reserves side, we’ve lost only one game, and we’ve just beat GWS by 100 plus points,” he said.

“There are some really good young players. They’re ready for sure.”

Originally published as George Hewett set for biggest assignment, against Richmond dynamo Dustin Martin