‘In 2017, I just thought he was God’: Tiger legends welcome Martin to the 300 club

Francis Bourke shook Dustin Martin’s hand firmly. “Good to see you,” said Dusty to the Richmond legend, in an exchange that bridged two great dynasties and 59 years.

Bourke, who played exactly 300 games for the Tigers and was a cornerstone in five premierships, was seated to Martin’s left, below Dusty’s fellow 300-gamers and triple-flag teammates Jack Riewoldt, Trent Cotchin and Shane Edwards, who stood at the back.

Richmond’s 300-gamers (from left): Kevin Bartlett, Shane Edwards, Trent Cotchin, Dustin Martin, Jack Riewoldt and Francis Bourke.Credit: Michael Willson/AFL Photos

Sitting at the other end, underneath the statue of the great Jack Dyer – the club’s only other 300-game player – was another hallowed Richmond figure, Kevin Bartlett, who played 403 games for the Tigers and in the same five premierships as Bourke.

Richmond had persuaded all five living 300-gamers to assemble in commemoration of Dusty’s upcoming milestone against the Hawks, in what was a convivial gathering of Richmond peers, more than a week before Dusty’s 300th.

The photographer/director, the accomplished Michael Willson, has more experience of dealing with the game’s answer to a silent movie star than nearly any other media figure, since Dusty is willing to be photographed, but not interviewed. “I got a lot more frames from Dusty than I usually get,” said Willson.

Martin’s mood seemed light, and his body language and banter bespoke comfort with his multi-generational peers and teammates. This journalist, who had been around long enough to know Bartlett and Bourke – and even to have seen them play – knew that he could speak only to those surrounding Dusty, the supporting cast, and not to the protagonist. No fend-off was necessary.

Dusty followed Willson’s directions to the letter, without objection. In the first collection of photos, Martin and the five legends were stationed outside Richmond’s headquarters, the Swinburne Centre at Punt Road. Symbolically, Cotchin leaned his left arm on the right shoulder of Dusty, who casually held the footy in his left hand.

‘I don’t think there’s been anyone who’s changed the game more often, in a moment.’

Triple premiership skipper Trent Cotchin on his great mate, Dustin Martin

Then, we went up into the rickety wooden Jack Dyer Stand where Martin sat at the front, fittingly flanked by the others. Edwards rubbed Dusty’s shoulders affectionately. Smiles were universal.

Cotchin, Martin, Riewoldt and Edwards won three premierships together for the Tigers.Credit: Michael Willson/AFL Photos

He briefly posed, too, with only his three 300-game teammates in the Dyer stand. At Willson’s suggestion, Martin, the only active footballer of the group, had clasped a footy for each set of pics.

Martin’s unique stature, mystique and place in the game invited the question – posed on this day to his teammates, Bartlett and Bourke – of what differentiated Dusty from other players.

For Cotchin, his skipper in those three premierships, the defining Dusty trait was that he took charge in key moments.

“I don’t think there’s been anyone who’s changed the game more often, in a moment, than Duz,” said Cotchin, who will be at the MCG on Saturday for the occasion.

“I mean, I’ve been fortunate to play with seriously gifted players, but the momentary stuff’s probably what encapsulates his brilliance.

“I think he’s still Richmond’s number one inside-50 retention (of possession) player, so yeah, phenomenal. Like, we’ve had front-row seats for a long time as well.”

Edwards, who is working for the Crows in recruiting and was allowed to take a day off for the Dusty shoot, observed that Martin’s physical gifts – and a football mind nonpareil – made him unique.

“I’ve probably never seen someone so agile at his weight before, he’s got an amazing low centre of gravity for his height as well. And he has much better endurance than people probably give him credit for.

“So he’s the whole package, but his brain is probably his biggest asset. He’s probably the smartest player I’ve ever played with ... he sees the game on another level and every touch he gets he’s trying to get the team a goal. There’s no padding to what he does. Everything is high damage, and he gets a lot of it in almost any situation in the front half.”

Edwards, notably, spoke of Martin in the present tense – what he is – and went so far as to call Dusty Richmond’s safety blanket and a source of reassurance for the team. “There was some element to hanging in there as a team, making the game as even as possible knowing we’ve got this guy in our front half that can take us over the line and lifts in the biggest moments. He’s somewhat of a safety blanket, and he relieved a lot of anxiety for us other players.”

Bourke, who was known as “Saint Francis” for his selfless modesty, reflected those values when he focused on Dusty’s unselfish ball use while marvelling at Martin’s apotheosis in 2017, when he won the Brownlow Medal and Norm Smith Medal, and destroyed each final.

“His ability to create opportunities for others by his wonderful disposal, his uncanny ability to handle the ball cleanly under pressure,” Bourke said, when asked about Martin at the shoot, where he was accompanied by his wife Kerry.

“I might be saying this in reverse, but he stood up in big games, big occasions. You suspected that the bigger the occasion, the better that Dustin seemed to be able to respond to the challenges.

“In 2017, I just thought that he was God – you know, the way he played the big games ... how he handled the ball.”

Bourke could not recall another like Dusty. “But there’s no question that he was the difference in 2017 and also in that grand final against Geelong [2020] ... he was the difference between us winning and losing.”

I asked Bourke to compare Dusty to another game-turner of his era, centre half-forward Royce Hart. They’re different styles of players.

“Royce was very different ... Royce played on sheer brilliance. Dustin, he did too, but he shared the ball very unselfishly. He does it now, still ... I take my hat off to him.”

Bartlett’s first comment was also that Martin had been “fantastic in the finals and grand finals” – Dusty being the only footballer to win three Norm Smith medals – while he had been a consistent performer throughout his career.

‘The bigger the occasion, the better that Dustin seemed to be able to respond to the challenges.’

Richmond icon Francis Bourke on the impact of ‘Dusty’

“[He] came along at a time when the Tigers’ supporter base needed new heroes and new people to follow,” said “KB”, whose son Rhett accompanied him and held two roles – Bartlett’s support, and Richmond Football Club historian.

“Because in the past, there was such a big break from, say, 1980 ’til they won in 2017 that a lot of generations could only look at old movies, videos ... you want to feel and you want to touch your heroes.”

Edwards focused on Dusty’s mind and physical assets, Bourke on his values and worth to the team, Cotchin on ownership of moments. Bartlett noted Martin’s signature talent, which has been emulated by a young Eagle named Harley Reid.

“Hard to tackle ... he’s had that ability to shrug the shoulders, break the tackles, push off opponents, which has made him very, very difficult to tackle and to hold. He’s done a lot of great things by breaking tackles and kicking important goals,” he said.

Right up to the weekend of his 300th game, Dustin Martin remains elusive – in every sense. His next step is unknown.

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