In sport, there’s a sense of inevitability that separates the greats from mere mortals. A clear demarcation. Not just of skill, but of mindset.
No matter the ‘big game’ situation, they know where to move, what to do, and more importantly, when to make their mark. They’ve done it before. And they know they’ll do it again.
For their adoring fans in that player’s cheer squad, it’s like watching a beloved film for the umpteenth time. They’ve studied every scene, memorised every line, and gleefully await the triumphant finale.
Opposition fans have – rather traumatically – seen that same film a similar amount of times. Only this time, they’re frantically clutching the idea that this edition might a previously unseen ‘Director’s Cut’, with a – hopefully – different ending.
To be frightfully cliched, Michael Jordan perhaps best encompasses this concept. Following several playoff defeats early in his career, once Michael broke through to the ‘big dance’, there was no stopping him.
Six NBA Finals. Six NBA Championships. Six NBA Finals MVPs. As his former teammate Jared Jeffries, explained Jordan had already mapped the game out in his head, therefore needed only to follow the ‘directions’ he had dreamed up:
“He would break down getting 40 points. It would be like ten free throws, a couple layups in transition, curl screen; little things where he knew how to break the game down to get 40 points”.
Similar remarks have been made about Roger Federer. With a record 20 Grand Slam titles to his name, he’s made a career out of out-thinking and out-moving opponents, and often, emerging triumphant through sheer weight of expectation.
Journeyman tennis player Scoville Jenkins expressed this following a first-round rout at the hands of the Swiss master in 2007.
“You’re always under pressure, like, if I don’t do something, he’s just going to go back into maybe hitting a great forehand across, or up the line…I would say the biggest thing with [him] is you’re playing chess out there and he’s just constantly a step ahead of you and you know it”.
Roger Federer. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)
New England Patriots fans experienced the same giddy sensation every time their beloved quarterback Tom Brady led them onto the Super Bowl field.
Gaining his edge through the building of a preternatural knowledge of his opponents tendencies and machinations, he diligently studied film to crawl inside the heads of his opponents, knowing their tendencies to such an extent that there was next to nothing they could adjust in a game.
As noted by Fox Sport’s Ray Lewis: “The thing about Tom is he’s super clutch. He’s on time. When the game’s on the line, he has no fear”.
In a different way, Simone Biles’ gymnastics exploits have taken on a familiar pattern, with the four foot eight inch gymnast is developing a borderline unstoppable set of skills that sees her in a winning position before she even sets foot on the mat.
With the ‘Perfect 10’ system of scoring abandoned in favour of a score relative to each selected skill’s degree of difficulty – with deductions taken off for errors – the 105-pound dynamo has such immense start values that she effectively enters any competition with a full point advantage.
The subsequent performance of such moves is almost trivial compared to the sheer sense of impossibility of success facing her opponents.
Which brings us to Dustin Martin.
The AFL isn’t played on the same global scale as the NBA, Wimbledon, the NFL, or the Olympic gymnastics arena. However, the same inevitability exists whenever Dusty takes the field on the league’s biggest stage.
You can sense it in his demeanour pre-game, his subtle aura of invincibility gently shining; his intensity standing out among his teammates, storing energy for his explosive outbursts.
Two previous grand finals have resulted in two Norm Smith Medals. A third was – as we’ve examined – inevitable, a mere formality that simply needed to be ‘ticked off’ at some stage of proceedings.
(Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
So it was that deep in the second quarter – with Geelong holding a 21-point lead and seemingly having found the solution to the pressure filled Richmond puzzle – that Martin chose his time.
He’d been somewhat subdued to that stage, but when a long-bomb from Liam Baker landed in his lap following a spoil from a pack, and as his snap across the body sailed through the goals you could physically feel the change of momentum that had just occurred.
The third quarter saw the Tigers roar back into a winning position, and Martin again was at the forefront. Pouncing on a loose ball on the cusp of the forward 50, he accelerated past Jack Henry, launched a check-side from 40 metres out, the ball bouncing and curling over the line to hand Richmond the lead – a position of power they never relinquished.
Dusty’s fourth quarter exploits were simply the icing on the cake – a tumbling 55m bomb following a quick handball from Kane Lambert once again had him firmly in the sights of the Norm Smith judges, and his fourth goal well and truly sealed the deal – brushing off rival Patrick Dangerfield, swivelling on the boundary and snapping truly over his shoulder. The tongue-wagging celebrations said it all.
It didn’t matter who – or what – they threw at him. The fend-off would emerge. The speared passes lasering off his boots would find teammates in space. The freakish ability to find a ball in a space that didn’t exist, seemingly teleport to a similarly non-existent space, and bend the Sherrin through the uprights appeared again and again.
Joel Selwood was questioned after the game if Martin was ‘unplannable’ in terms of opposition sides quelling his influence.
His response: “maybe, maybe, yep, maybe”. Those few, repeated words say it all. It’s been widely remarked that the Richmond superstar is clearly the best finals player the AFL has ever seen, and that he’s firmly making a case for being one of the greatest of all time.
If the Tigers happen to expand on their ‘dynasty’ in 2021, and make a deep finals run it’s only the bravest of souls who would bet against the script following much the same manner it has in 2017, 2019, and 2020.
After all, it’s inevitable.
Liam
Guest
I think his norm this year and in 2017 was warranted, but I am concerned about the declining quality of the standards. In any number of games, Dusty, Danger, Fyfe, Cripps, Bontempelli - provided their team wins - can pencil in 3 votes as much because of their name as their performances onfield. Are they great players? Sure. Do they deserve it every time they get three votes? Nope. This more or less encapsulates my feelings towards the norm smith. Players can win it because of who they are as much as what they've done in the game, and that makes me a little sad.
sven
Roar Rookie
agree with u liam that like the brownlow, the norm smith (& just about every other award) are awarded on the opinions of the people asked to vote on it, but how else should the verdict as to who wins the award be decided ? some algorithm using stats ?……. disagree on your take that its decreasing in relevance, relevance to whom do u reckon ? ………to me the norm at least is decided by people who arent flat out umpiring the game (like the brownlow), & at least 2 of the judges this year in leigh matthews & malcolm blight are greats of the game (perhaps should be all ex players on the panel rather than journos)…… no question being a ‘star’ helps attract votes but whilst its reasonable to say there were other players who could easily have won in ’17 & ’19, i dont think dusty getting it those times is even close to a shocker, & this year was pretty clear cut
Liam
Guest
I think it's funny that, when I criticised the voting for the norm smith, you used the voting as the proof of your argument. As for the inelegant man of straw you built there, perhaps you could go outside, breathe a little.
Mark
Roar Rookie
To be honest, Dusty – while he played well – didn’t really deserve the Norm in 2019 You would be one of the very few to think that. I suggest you read the story in Foxsports containing this Headline: Dustin Martin won the Norm Smith unanimously. This time, there was no doubting it https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/norm-smith-medal-voting-2019-dustin-martin-wins-norm-smith-afl-grand-final-2019-richmond-vs-gws-giants/news-story/deeb2718d9b8bb209be03b6b5161fa15 NORM SMITH MEDAL JUDGES AND VOTES 2019 15 - Dustin Martin, Richmond - 3,3,3,3,3 6 - Bachar Houli, Richmond - 2,2,2 4 - Marlion Pickett, Richmond - 2,1,1 3 - Jack Riewoldt, Richmond - 1,1,1 2 - Dion Prestia, Richmond - 2 Just because you don't like Dusty, doesn't mean he shouldn't receive the accolades he truly deserves.
Liam
Guest
To be honest, Dusty - while he played well - didn't really deserve the Norm in 2019. It should've gone to Houli, who had an equally good game and played more of a role in the result. Norms are a medal that - unfortunately - is decreasing in relevance, the same way the Brownlow isn't really as important anymore. Umpires look at the stats sheet instead of watching the game; they look at the name, and they aren't the students of the sport they once were. Luke Hodge in 2014 was a bit dodgy, too. Roughead kicked 5, Lewis had 37. It's a popularity award, and that's a problem.
Goalsonly
Roar Rookie
I don't believe there are any other players than Gary Ablett Senior who attracted the crowd in the kind of numbers we are talking about. I wouldn't have bothered putting him in such rare company if there was. That was the point. As for his personal life if you must bring it up it's commonplace and not really part of this conversation. The other point I'm making is that if you really want to find the very very best turning it on in the finals may be second to bums on seats and the x factor in the equation is scarcity. These guys are rare. MICHAEL JORDAN, TIGER WOODS, MOHAMMAD ALI, GARY ABLETT SENIOR. I am not saying these legends are the only ones but you can imagine how long is the list of great sporting names that have not had mass crowd movements as part of their resume. You pissed me off a little bit kind of sneakily diluting what I said but I believe I have used that anger creatively. Cheers. :silly:
Samuel Laffy
Roar Guru
From what I've seen posted online in the past few days, he's had six instances of 20+ touches and 2+ goals (in the same game) in Preliminary Finals and Grand Finals. The next best (from the stat I saw) are Barry Cable and Tim Watson with 4. If that doesn't tell you something about how he lifts for the occasion nothing will! Agreed on Michael Jordan being perhaps the most inevitable - as a Utah fan the image of the game-winner in Game 6 in 1997-98 is forever burnt into my brain. I remember watching as a 10 year old being devastated knowing that Jordan was going to get the ball, that Jordan was going to score, and there was nothing anyone could do about it.
Samuel Laffy
Roar Guru
I've had many a (slightly older) friend regale me with tales of heading to the footy purely to watch Gary Ablett Sr play - as dominant as some have been I doubt there could be more than a handful of players who attracted a crowd in such a way! Unfortunately he couldn't equate that into personal success - although his 1989 Finals Series (27 goals in 4 games) has to be surely considered the 'best' finals series every played.
Samuel Laffy
Roar Guru
Certainly the regular season doesn't attract much attention - the SuperBowl is - in my mind - a global event though - and that's where Tom Brady shone the most!
berrlins
Roar Pro
In the first two grand finals I thought he faced stiff competition for the Norm, Houli in 2017 in particular played a fantastic game and had his hat in the ring for BOG, but in 2020 there is no doubt in my mind Martin was the best on ground, had Geelong won it would have been Duncan or Stewart fighting it out for the honour. But they didn't and when Richmond needed a spark, Dusty brought it. he didn't dominate the game or tear it apart but he didn't have to, no one did. he took his moments and made them count. The fourth goal he kicked was junk time, the game was already over. but it was all class and but an exclamation mark on his claim of being one of the all time great finals players. As a nuetral I hope he and the Richmond tigers never play another final but that's probably wishful thinking.
Johnno
Roar Rookie
I go with the best in finals, unbelievable in making an impact at exactly the right time. To say he overtakes Ayres is an unbelievable compliment. However I don’t go with the greatest of all time. Just because someone hasn’t played in a GF or won a GF, doesn’t mean they aren’t as good. Lockett for example. It just means they haven’t played in a team good enough to win or make a GF. A big difference. As someone said on this post, he needs to thank all his team mates for getting the team to the GF first. Having said that, he is up there with some pretty talented players.
The Brazilian
Roar Rookie
Only had 5 shots on goal and kicked 4. Obviously had a day out 'cause that exceeds his 48% kicking efficiency. Must have got lucky.
sven
Roar Rookie
not bad for a bloke that allegedly only puts in 5 mins a qrt...... imagine if he applied himself a bit ...
Slane
Guest
There was one game a while ago where Yeo tackled Dustin Martin twice by standing behind him and letting him win the ball. I'm pretty sure Yeo had a big impact in that game, as the Eagles smashed us, but I also think it's insane how that's the mark of beating Dustin Martin. Getting a holding the ball decision on Dustin Martin would be something you tell your grand kids about.
Downsey
Roar Pro
He certainly played some incredibly attractive footy on Saturday...
Naughty's Headband
Roar Rookie
Haven’t heard about Superyeo for a while...speaking of Superyeo, where’s all the West Coast supporters gone? Matty, where are you?
Bell31
Roar Rookie
Nice article Samuel - I think we've had some recent debates on either the NBA or tennis forums here and I really like the way you weave together multiple sports to make your point in this article. I especially like the MJ point - I remember watching the NBA finals in the mid to late 90s (when there was barely any TV / internet coverage unlike today!) and MJ just felt 'inevitable', even during the Flu game. Whilst an individual's impact is more limited in a sport like AFL vs b'ball, Dusty feels similar in an AFL context - the way he regularly shrugs off tackles is mind-blowing and seems to be core to his unique success. I'm not sure if I'm mistaken, but I think I heard a commentator say he's been BoG in 9 / 11 finals, which if that's right, is unbelievable.
Boo
Guest
Dusty is the best finals player and will probably go down as the best ever .Thought Geelongs match ups were very average on Martin.Bews is the best stopper at Geelong and never manned him up and Tuohy could have played as a tagger on him.Kolodashnij main strength is over head so confused why such he manned up such a strong ground ball player .Selwood is too small and not a tagger .
big four sticks
Guest
He clearly is one of the greatest of all time. He is highly versatile, as he can play in the midfield and up forward. Many good midfielders cannot kick accurately, yet Martin can. He has brute strength and graceful athleticism. He rarely goes to ground, and always lifts on the big occasions. If Melbourne didn’t tank against us we would have missed out on him, thus altering the course of history.
Nick
Roar Guru
I'm sure someone in time will beat Dustin Martin as the best ever finals player. But he currently holds the status for sure. We all once said this about Gary Ayres as well. It will take someone freakish to beat Martin, but records are meant to be broken.