Dustin Martin owed AFL nothing but his Richmond return had everything
On those rare occasions when things aren’t going Dustin Martin’s way on the football field, he repeats three words to himself: Strong. Aggressive. Unstoppable. It’s staggering, really. He has all the talent, all the medals, and all the money in the world. An entire football club was built around him. An entire competition was unable to lay a glove on him. He had an oaken constitution, and the perfect physique for his sport. Even in the ad breaks, he was swanning about in his underwear, seemingly without a care in the world. Turns out he was like so many of us – riven by anxiety, propping himself up, blocking out the noise. Though it’s hard to imagine two more different men, one is reminded of an old Paul Keating quote. “Underneath it all, I’m really scared. My knees are knocking. I’m like a bowl of warm spaghetti.”
