Lions tyro opens up on Dusty dust-up

RICHMOND superstar Dustin Martin cruised around in almost a Zen-like state on the way towards a cupboard full of medals and accolades.

But the then soon-to-be minted Brownlow and Norm Smith medalist cracked during a prickly Round 17 clash with Lions tyro Nick Robertson.

Robertson punched and probed, niggled and nudged, as he tried to slow the Tiger locomotive on track towards 40 disposals, two goals and three Brownlow votes.

Martin, eventually, had a gut full and responded with a swinging arm of his own.

“A few whacks here and there,” Robertson laughed.

“I wasn’t really saying much because I couldn’t say ‘you’re going sh**house or anything’.

“He’s just a bloody good player so I thought I’d give him a whack here and there and a few too many whacks and he retaliated which is good.

“It’s always good when you get that retaliation, that’s when you know you’ve got them so keep doing it.”

Luckily for Martin the retaliation attracted only a $1500 fine and not a Brownlow-stripping suspension.