Dusty to get free range on position

DUSTIN Martin will again have carte blanche to push forward and wreak maximum destruction after tearing apart Brisbane Lions with his sixgoal qualifying final haul.

Tigers captain Trent Cotchin revealed yesterday Martin usually decided when to play as a bulldozing midfielder or lethal small forward in games.

No player has kicked more than the six goals he poured on against the Lions since Lance Franklin’s eight goals in the 2008 qualifying final.

Against the Lions he played 58 per cent of game time forward as he cashed in on a match-up against Marcus Adams, with Tom Lynch dragging Harris Andrews away from the action.

That move appeared more by design but Cotchin said Martin would likely dictate where he played against Geelong.

“It is a question you have to ask ‘Dimma’ (Damien Hardwick). Dusty is pretty good at both. It’s the beauty of his talent, that he can impact games in a number of positions,” he said.”

“It is typically most of the time a decision (Martin makes). There might be a call from the box or a suggestion from a player if they are game enough!”

Martin has averaged 41 per cent of game time as a forward this year, tending to start in the centre square then eventually pushing forward.

A favourable match-up can keep him in the forward line longer than planned, with the Cats sure to tag him.

Cam Guthrie and Scott Selwood took responsibility for Martin in the 2017 preliminary final, keeping him to 14 possessions and little influence to halftime.

He exploded after halftime and finished with 12 score involvements and 157 ranking points.