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Port won't tag Dustin Martin

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15th October, 2020
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Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley says it will take a collective team effort to contain Richmond ace Dustin Martin in Friday night’s AFL preliminary final.

The Brownlow medallist looms as the game-breaker in the Adelaide Oval encounter to decide which club secures a grand final spot.

But Hinkley says he won’t deploy a hard tag on Martin, instead asking all his players to be mindful of not only the Tigers great, but his teammates.

“Collectively the job on any of their players will be done by the team, that is what will happen,” Hinkley said.

“Dusty is a great player.

“But it’s a prelim final. There are great players out there everywhere and that is why it’s exciting.

“It’s Richmond’s great players and Port Adelaide’s great players – there’s some concern for both teams.

“That is why you go into a prelim final and you’re on edge.”

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Martin has played starring roles in Richmond’s preliminary finals in their premiership years of 2017 and 2019.

In a 2017 win against Greater Western Sydney he collected 20 disposals and booted three goals; in a 2019 triumph over Geelong he gathered 22 possessions and kicked two majors. 

But in 2018, when the Tigers lost a preliminary final, Martin was relatively subdued by his lofty standards – 19 touches and scoreless.

The star Tiger will again by given licence to roam against Port through the midfield and in attack.

“He can make his impact in both areas of the ground,” Richmond assistant coach Adam Kingsley said.

“And pretty much where he’s having his impact, we tend to leave him.

“He’s very, very good around stoppages, very good through the midfield. But he’s also a goalscorer and a difficult match-up (in attack).

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“We will just see how the game pans out to see where he’s playing.”

Dustin Martin’s preliminary finals
2017 (Richmond beat Greater Western Sydney by 36 points): 20 disposals, three goals three behinds, four clearances, two goal assists, one inside 50.

2018 (Richmond lose to Collingwood by 39 points): 19 disposals, no score, 0 clearances, one goal assist, four inside 50s.

2019 (Richmond beat Geelong by 19 points): 22 disposals, two goals two behinds, two clearances, 0 goal assists, four inside 50s.

© AAP

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