GREG MARTIN TOOLS OF THE TRADIE
What makes a top vehicle? Former Wallaby and Queensland Reds fullback Greg Martin reckons it would be the same qualities that make a great rugby player.
Better known as “Marto”, the self-professed ute tragic loves his Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series. The Japanese brand’s workhorse is known for its unbreakable reliability, big V8 and ability to soak up punishment — ideal qualities of any top-flight rugby player, says Marto, one of the commentary team for Fox Sports’ coverage of the coming Rugby World Cup.
A carpenter and builder by trade, he has owned utes almost exclusively and got a warm and fuzzy feeling on returning to the ’Cruiser.
“I’ve been in a heap of different utes. I was in an Amarok for a while but I’m back in the 70 Series. It’s the second one I’ve owned and it feels like I’ve moved home and I’m safe and happy again,” says Martin.
“I look in awe at it and wonder how the Japanese developed one of the world’s greatest off-roaders and toughest utes. Why did they have to do it? It doesn’t make sense but it is the perfect car for me.”
For Martin, a vehicle must handle his Queensland lifestyle. “I’ve always had a fourwheel drive because I’ve spent a lot of time at the beach fishing,” he says.
“When there is no rugby on I need a car that will go well on sand and also during the week can haul a lot of timber.”
There’s an Iveco Daily 4x4 he’s seen down at the beach and he’s eyeing that as his dream car.
Martin has explored the world thanks to rugby, whether as a player or commentator. In his early playing days, he spent the off-season in
Italy in club rugby while living at L’Aquila about 100km east of Rome near the snow fields of Abruzzo. The club gave him a “cheap Fiat” to use. Martin and his now wife Cath spent longweekends on road trips up and down the autostradas exploring the province and capital.
His all-time favourite road trip was in New Zealand during the 2011 Rugby World Cup — six days in a Juicy van to mark his brother’s 40th birthday. He reckons NZ is the best country to drive around because there is never any traffic.
One of his most hair-raising experiences came during his coverage of the V8 Supercars.
“The guys thought it would be funny to teach me how to drive an old V8 Supercar as fast as I could — because I told them I’m not really into high speed,” he says
So Martin found himself at Norwell track on the Gold Coast under the tutelage of Paul Morris and his Supercar Experience. He got more than he bargained for.
“One day without me knowing, we were going around and he introduced two other cars on the track while I was still on it,” says Martin.
“And they’ve just come out of nowhere in my rear vision mirror and given me a bump in the back and he said, ‘Now it’s real, see how you go.’
“I haven’t been that scared in a while. I think I’m built for comfort, not speed.”
Martin is looking forward to his next challenge during the World Cup, learning all about the Georgian and Russian players — and how to pronounce their names.
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