Dustin Martin | PUNT ROAD END | Richmond Tigers Forum
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Dustin Martin

tigerman

It's Tiger Time
Mar 17, 2003
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Not sure that is true but is more common than you think regardless. Seriouslyi, what is the point of talking to his coach - akin to talking with Michael Turner about Geelong Falcons kids. The last thing a seasoned recruiter wants is a nuffie junior coach talking a club into, or out of a player. Martin was a highly touted junior but was not a certainty at 3 - Frank and Richmond deserve credit for taking him.
Yep, Frank and the RFC deserve all the credit, they told Dusty and his mother that Richmond were going to pick him if he was still available.
 

CarnTheTiges

This is a REAL tiger
Mar 8, 2004
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I think this is very true. I remember always lamenting that Essendon could take players who were not touted as stars when they were juniors and turn them into stars. Meanwhile Richmond would take early draft picks who were proven performers at their level and develop none or maybe one of them into a star.

Development is hugely important.

My observations have also led me to the opinion that turning around a club in terms of being able to develop players well is damned difficult. You see it every year, some clubs just don't seem to be able to take a great young player and get them to AFL level, and those same clubs spend years, even decades, with the inability to develop players. As a Richmond supporter I know this well as I saw our club do it for so many years. Credit to those who managed to turn this around. Essendon are a great example at present of losing this ability, and I suspect it will take time to turn it around. Melbourne seem to be hopeless at developing players and have been for decades, they need to seriously work out how to change this.

It isn't so much who you draft, important though that is, it is whether you can pick players who are good enough and get them to the next level. As Dimma often says - all the players in the draft can kick, mark, handball, run etc,. The club has to take them to the next level to be good AFL players.

DS
And Essendon still seem to think they’re in those days.
 
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No 4

I did what I did for the Tigers - Bridget
Feb 11, 2005
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There was a 3-4 year period maybe 2005-8? when Wallace and Miller were in charge, and when the club had a pre draft review night at Punt road in which members were allowed some insight into which sort of players and in some cases which players, were under consideration. Great Richmond night for those outside the club during which I recall meeting Phantom, Lutt, Dyer 'ere and other PRE luminaries.
Frank was usually in attendance and would speak when asked to do so. My impression was that he often didn't think much of Miller and his plans.
One night they were talking about Oakley-Nicholls who later came to us as a first rounder. We were shown a highlights tape and Miller seemed very keen.

I think Hartley, Clarke and our current expert team which includes Frank, would be left to wonder.
I was at this presentation with Miller & company. shows highlights, but I seem to recall we were very interested in Varcoe.
 

momentai

Tiger Legend
Jul 24, 2004
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I was at this presentation with Miller & company. shows highlights, but I seem to recall we were very interested in Varcoe.
I hadn't remembered mention of Varcoe, but interestingly he went later to Geelong. Suspect Varcoe may have been favoured by Frank, but Miller wanted Oakley-Nichols.
At one of these sessions I recall asking about the recruitment of an x Footscray player? in exchange for an early pick and Frank just shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. While he was our senior recruiter I think his judgement may often have been stuffed by the efforts of Miller and Wallace?
 

Spirit of Jack

Only a Tiger premiership can make 2020 a good year
Apr 19, 2004
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I hadn't remembered mention of Varcoe, but interestingly he went later to Geelong. Suspect Varcoe may have been favoured by Frank, but Miller wanted Oakley-Nichols.
At one of these sessions I recall asking about the recruitment of an x Footscray player? in exchange for an early pick and Frank just shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. While he was our senior recruiter I think his judgement may often have been stuffed by the efforts of Miller and Wallace?
I also attended these. Frank was a part timer talent spotter prior to the 2005 draft - Miller was running the show. Miller's preferences for pick 7 that year were JON, Varcoe and Courtney Dempsey. I recall Miller did not think much of Shannon Hurn. :D

I also distinctly recall the following year that Miller was adamant that Joel Selwood would not be an AFL player due to his dodgy knees and being below par in a range of testing metrics. :rotfl2

I loved those evenings, I couldn't believe the transparency - but unfortunately MIller did not have a clue what he was doing.
 
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zippadeee

Tiger Legend
Oct 8, 2004
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I also attended these. Frank was a part timer talent spotter prior to the 2005 draft - Miller was running the show. Miller's preferences for pick 7 that year were JON, Varcoe and Courtney Dempsey. I recall Miller did not think much of Shannon Hurn. :D

I also distinctly recall the following year that Miller was adamant that Joel Selwood would not be an AFL player due to his dodgy knees and being below par in a range of testing metrics. :rotfl2

I loved those evenings, I couldn't believe the transparency - but unfortunately MIller did not have a clue what he was doing.

His career lasted so long after 1 single recruit he brought to North Melbourne in the late 80's.
His name was Wayne T Carey.
He couldn't pick his nose, let alone a quality kid in a draft.
Miller and Grubby Allen would be the worse 2 recruiters.
 
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zippadeee

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Oct 8, 2004
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I also attended these. Frank was a part timer talent spotter prior to the 2005 draft - Miller was running the show. Miller's preferences for pick 7 that year were JON, Varcoe and Courtney Dempsey. I recall Miller did not think much of Shannon Hurn. :D

I also distinctly recall the following year that Miller was adamant that Joel Selwood would not be an AFL player due to his dodgy knees and being below par in a range of testing metrics. :rotfl2

I loved those evenings, I couldn't believe the transparency - but unfortunately MIller did not have a clue what he was doing.

I was once on fight to Brisbane and was sitting next to Scott Clayton and he laughed as soon i told him i was a Richmond supporter.
Where is that Fkwit now??
 

zippadeee

Tiger Legend
Oct 8, 2004
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Martin is in the Top 10 of the best ever footballers in the history of the game.
And is now alongside KB and Hart at punt Rd.
If i hear that Robbie Flower and Wayne Johnson were better i will spew up.
My 10 best mids ive seen in the last 30 years.
Dustin Martin
Scott Pendetbury
Greg Williams
Chris Judd
Greg Williams
James Hird
Michael Voss
Ben Cousins
Daniel Kerr
Ben Cousins
 

yandb

Tiger Champion
Mar 24, 2004
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I would put Gary Ablett slightly ahead of Dusty at this stage but would expect Dusty to surpass him in the near future.
 
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TigerPort

Tiger Champion
Jun 29, 2006
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Just the facts as far as I see it. Having a kid part of a TAC cup squad for 16-18 months and then not even having a single conversation with any of the coaches who had watched every minute of training and playing he had done in that time, as well as having a pretty good knowledge of him as a person is pretty ordinary work I think.

There would be no need to talk to the coaches when it was clear from an early age that Martin was a talent.
 
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TigerPort

Tiger Champion
Jun 29, 2006
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Talent is only part of the equation.

I'll give an example of how things have changed. A few years ago there was a kid who was part of the AFL Academy program, which is the best of the best at 16 and 17 year old level. They take about 30 odd each year and only a tiny handful have ever not been drafted.

This kid was a likely type, good size, tested well and had a good top age year. Played in the national championship and looked a certainty to be a top 50 draftee, same as usual for kids who go through the program. Interviewed perfectly.

One club (and I suspect every club) had him on the short list as a potential second or third round pick and touched base with his TAC cup coach. He hated to do it but gave an honest appraisal of the kid. I won't say what he said but it was enough to make him undraftable. Followed up with state championship staff who confirmed the same, as did other adults who had worked with him.

Needless to say the club left him alone and funnily enough so did every other club. Was reported at the time as being a huge miss and he would surely be rookied. Wasn't rookied and has made no progress with his footy since, didn't even play state level.

You know more than me. Dusty's draft year was 11/12 years ago. So things may have changed but back then it was a different story.
 

YinnarTiger

Tiger Legend
May 2, 2007
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Martin is in the Top 10 of the best ever footballers in the history of the game.
And is now alongside KB and Hart at punt Rd.
If i hear that Robbie Flower and Wayne Johnson were better i will spew up.
My 10 best mids ive seen in the last 30 years.
Dustin Martin
Scott Pendetbury
Greg Williams
Chris Judd
Greg Williams
James Hird
Michael Voss
Ben Cousins
Daniel Kerr
Ben Cousins
You've got Ben Cousins (WC) and Ben Cousins (Rich). I'd take out the Richmond one and put in Black from the Bears.
 

saigon tiger

Tiger Superstar
Jun 4, 2010
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Martin is in the Top 10 of the best ever footballers in the history of the game.
And is now alongside KB and Hart at punt Rd.
If i hear that Robbie Flower and Wayne Johnson were better i will spew up.
My 10 best mids ive seen in the last 30 years.
Dustin Martin
Scott Pendetbury
Greg Williams
Chris Judd
Greg Williams
James Hird
Michael Voss
Ben Cousins
Daniel Kerr
Ben Cousins
Take out 1 Ben Cousins and add Sam Mitchell and it looks about right
 
Jul 26, 2004
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www.redbubble.com
Martin is in the Top 10 of the best ever footballers in the history of the game.
And is now alongside KB and Hart at punt Rd.
If i hear that Robbie Flower and Wayne Johnson were better i will spew up.
My 10 best mids ive seen in the last 30 years.
Dustin Martin
Scott Pendetbury
Greg Williams
Chris Judd
Greg Williams
James Hird
Michael Voss
Ben Cousins
Daniel Kerr
Ben Cousins
No Castagna? You're slipping zipper.
 

zippadeee

Tiger Legend
Oct 8, 2004
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No Castagna? You're slipping zipper.

Castagna for me, changed Richmond into what we are today.
Alongside Bulter and Rioli we are the team we are today thanks to them.
My kids and all mates know Castagna is my all time favourite Richmond player.
 
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TrialByVideo

HailBGale!
Mar 1, 2015
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I never realised that pick number 6 in this draft was a champion netballer..... hmmm, having seen him play in the grand final, things are so much clearer now!




Dustin and an extremely skinny DTLD.... *smile* time flies :(

 
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