HOMECOMING FOR DEFENDER
HE MAY not be new to the club, but a lot has changed since Gold Coast Knights defender Tyson Martin last played for a home crowd at the Croatian Sports Park.
Martin, 20, returns to his boyhood club after seven years and stints at three Brisbane rivals.
“It’s a lot different,” Martin said. “The changing rooms are different, there are new lights in, they’ve redone both fields … everything.
“But there are still a lot of familiar faces around the club. I bump into people I don’t really remember where I know them from, but I just do.”
The former Knights junior joins a new-look squad under coach Scott Mcdonald after helping Brisbane City to an unbeaten FQPL campaign last year.
Before his two seasons with the Azzurri, Martin spent 12 months at Brisbane Olympic and four years with Brisbane Roar Youth, establishing himself as a capable ball-playing central defender.
At 190cm, Martin’s imposing physical frame and calmness on the ball makes him the perfect addition to Mcdonald’s system.
“Scott likes to play football, he likes players that want to get on the ball and play that possession-based game,” Martin said.
“I love that. You don’t play football to run. When he was telling me the style he wants to play, that he wants to dominate games … that was exciting to me.”
Asked why he chose to leave City after helping the club secure promotion back to the NPL last season, Martin said the chance to play for his home club under former Socceroo Mcdonald was too great to pass up.
“I used to play at Knights when I was eight or nine so going back to that club was always something I wanted to do,” he said.
“For my development, and seeing how Scott wants to play this season, it suited me really well. I think it will bring out the best in me and help me reach my full potential.
“I want to get to that next level, the A-league, and having someone like Scott and Mitch Nichols who have been at that level (will help).”
Knights were due to open their 2022 NPL Queensland campaign away to Logan Lightning on Saturday, however wet weather has forced a postponement to the first round.