Few footballers have meant more to fans than Dustin Martin has to Richmond, and none could have drawn a crowd like the 92,311 who saluted his 300th game
Michael Willson’s photo of Martin exiting the MCG perfectly captured the man, the moment and the mood – one of adulation, of gratitude and of celebration.Michael Willson’s photo of Martin exiting the MCG perfectly captured the man, the moment and the mood – one of adulation, of gratitude and of celebration.
Martin has always been one of those athletes who has tempted footy writers and pundits towards zoomorphism. He’s been compared to a lion, a shark, a crocodile, a rhino and a bull. During the week, Sam Mitchell told his young players not to be swallowed up by the occasion, by the crowd, by the man. It was Martin’s event, he told them, but it was Hawthorn’s time.The gradual improvement of Hawthorn has mostly unfolded in lousy timeslots in front of sparse crowds.
So many silly things have been said and written about them, including half arsed allegations of tanking. But their list has been well constructed, and their rise carefully and patiently plotted. A third were taken from other clubs. Luke Breust and Jack Gunston are the only players over 30. Will Day is 23, Jai Newcombe is 22 and Connor Macdonald is 21. Day, in particular, was desperately missed in the opening part of the year.
After a 14.13 to 6.13 defeat, Martin could have been forgiven for a quick wave, a cursory hoist and a low-key exit. But he did something unexpected. He walked to all four corners of the centre square and acknowledged his crowd. Over 92 thousand of them had turned up, on a cold day, to watch 12th v 17th. They were half a dozen deep in the standing section and their team had been trounced but not one of them had left.
But Saturday night really did feel final. Martin assured the crowd he’d be back in a fortnight. But it felt like a farewell. It felt like a full stop. And Michael Willson’s photo of Martin exiting the MCG perfectly captured the man, the moment and the mood – one of adulation, of gratitude and of celebration.
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