DUSTY HAS LAST LAUGH
No dispute as Martin wins Brownlow with most votes ever
GEELONG champion Patrick Dangerfield’s errant tackle on Carlton’s Matthew Kreuzer in Round 19 almost cost him a second straight Brownlow Medal last night. In an evening of drama, the ineligible Dangerfield was leading the count with two rounds remaining but was reeled in by medal favourite, Richmond star Dustin Martin.
BROWNLOW medallist Dustin Martin last night said it was a relief to outpoll the ineligible Patrick Dangerfield, as the brilliant Richmond midfielder’s season was rubber-stamped by the umpires with a record 36 votes.
The explosive midfielder has now been judged the best by the AFL’s coaches, players and umpires and he enters Saturday’s Grand Final against Adelaide as the game’s hottest superstar.
Martin joined Rory Sloane in the lead at Round 10 and was never headed from Round 11, registering a record 11 best-on-grounds to finish clear of Dangerfield (33 votes) and Hawthorn ball magnet Tom Mitchell (25).
“It would’ve been a bit awkward if (Dangerfield) beat me. It’s a bit of a relief, there’s no awkwardness,” Martin, 26, said last night.
Tigers coach Damien Hardwick said Martin had improved every season of his blistering career, and the tat- tooed megastar reflected on a pivotal meeting held two years ago when he was told to curb some destructive behaviour.
Martin’s deported father Shane Martin and manager Ralph Carr told Martin he would soon run out of chances at the Tigers.
“I was just a young bloke who liked to play up every now and then,” Martin said.
“The club was fed up with it and so they sat me down and told me to pull my head in.”
Martin’s brother will fly into Melbourne from Barcelona to join his entourage for Saturday’s Grand Final against Adelaide.