Opinion Can Dustin Martin be the GOAT? (Answer: no)

[Snooza 100]

I'm not trying to equate most AA's to being the best player but it is a good indicator of consistency and if you are truly the best player in the comp and you play 18+ games (Martin's been very durable too so injuries aren't an excuse) you'll get in. We all know that Martin's season this year was truly exceptional. However if you want to open the gate to GOAT discussion - there has to be quite a few exceptional seasons.

I'm not in any way implying Martin's not a terrific player. However he needs to string together quite a few elite seasons if he wants to trouble the likes of Goodes/Judd let alone Ablett and that's only looking at recent history. He also has one heck of a challenger in Dangerfield who is every chance to be regarded as the superior player at the end of their careers.

Its also quite obvious that Dangerfield's last 2 years as a combination eclipses Martin's. His goal kicking this year was quite extraordinary. You can certainly argue Martin was better this year but it wasn't by much at all and anyone who claims there was a big gap is full of it. The Brownlow would have been int

You can have the greatest season of all time and not be the greatest player of all time.

Not that I'm convinced he had the greatest season of all time.

True, hes still young and only time will tell..

 

[Engimal v3]

Great right now, but has hit his straps far too late to be considered a GOAT candidate. It wasn't that long ago he was being put in comparisons with Hartlett and Ziebell on Bigfooty, and that says enough.

 

[ReebusMaximus]

One of (if not THE) most dominant seasons of all time. If he either manages to keep this form up for the next few years or even somehow finds another gear then he'll be in the discussion. Has all of the attributes.

 

[juss]

Great right now, but has hit his straps far too late to be considered a GOAT candidate. It wasn't that long ago he was being put in comparisons with Hartlett and Ziebell on Bigfooty, and that says enough.

Dusty has been very good since his debut season, always been a strong 1 on 1 player and goalkicker. Gary Ablett was a late bloomer too.

IMO Dusty isnt the GOAT. But another few years at an ultra high level will put him at all time great of the game status.

 

[TexanKnights]

he is a lot better than grigg for starters

Still can't believe he's got a premiership medal, 'shakes head'
But on the other hand Mackay could of had one so yeah

 

[cannot]

Still can't believe he's got a premiership medal, 'shakes head'
But on the other hand Mackay could of had one so yeah

Mackay >>> grigg

 

[TiggerMan22]

Great right now, but has hit his straps far too late to be considered a GOAT candidate. It wasn't that long ago he was being put in comparisons with Hartlett and Ziebell on Bigfooty, and that says enough.

Hes polled 20+ brownlow votes for the last 3 years. Polled 16 votes 5 seasons ago. Hes been great for ages, amazing for the last few years and then very top tier this year. Anyone that compared him with Hartlett and Zeibell had nfi.

Brownlow votes per season
Ablett: 0, 3, 3, 3, 5, 20, 22, 30. Total: 86
Dusty: 6, 12, 5, 16, 13, 21, 25, 36. Total: 134.

Too late?

Clearly Dusty needs a lot more season at this level to be considered, which is the hard part. But compared to Ablett who will probably be considered the GOAT, he actually looks a fair way ahead at the same time. Each comparable season Dusty had more votes and he was much better in his early years.

 

[Rance2Mewtwo]

Hes polled 20+ brownlow votes for the last 3 years. Polled 16 votes 5 seasons ago. Hes been great for ages, amazing for the last few years and then very top tier this year. Anyone that compared him with Hartlett and Zeibell had nfi.

Brownlow votes per season
Ablett: 0, 3, 3, 3, 5, 20, 22, 30. Total: 86
Dusty: 6, 12, 5, 16, 13, 21, 25, 36. Total: 134.

Too late?

Clearly Dusty needs a lot more season at this level to be considered, which is the hard part. But compared to Ablett who will probably be considered the GOAT, he actually looks a fair way ahead at the same time. Each comparable season Dusty had more votes and he was much better in his early years.

Yeah, it looks like Ablett only become a decent player in the equivalent of Dusty's year last year when Dusty was AA anyway.

Absolutely not late to the party.

(Dusty is the party...)

 

[JackOutback]

Yeah, it looks like Ablett only become a decent player in the equivalent of Dusty's year last year when Dusty was AA anyway.

Absolutely not late to the party.

(Dusty is the party...)

Ablett is a special case who bloomed late and then went on a tear. Compare him to a Carey, Judd or Cousins and you see they had some elite seasons well before they turned 25.

 

[Rance2Mewtwo]

Ablett is a special case who bloomed late and then went on a tear. Compare him to a Carey, Judd or Cousins and you see they had some elite seasons well before they turned 25.

Martin has been elite in bursts since his debut season, and every player matured differently.

And as a matter of fact, in Dusty’s 2nd season, after the first month of football he was being compared to Leigh Matthews in the media.

His form dropped off almost immediately and he played in bursts for the rest of the year, but he’s been compared to Matthews since year 2.

 

[Farm Boy]

Not GOAT. I think GOAT will be Carey or Ablett snr.

I think we will be hard up trying to find anyone better than Carey as well. Possible? Yes. Likely? Not very.

So lets break this conversation down a little bit and ask "could Dustin Martin be the GOAT midfielder?" Yes. He could. In fact, he is even on his way. He just needs to have another 4-5 seasons like this year. Then he will be up there with Ablett jr - who was stiff not to win 5 brownlow medals.

 

[mehow2g]

This time last year we were having this discussion about Dangerifeld. Two years' ago it was Fyfe.

Will Dusty back it up or will another star emerge?

Kelly has the potential to dominate the comp so perhaps him, I don't see Dusty dropping off he's mentally strong and hasn't really had a bad season since his debut he could go another gear to be honest.

 

[Purple Jesus]

Seem to be forgetting that Fyfe broke his leg, played on it broken in a Prelim, missed almost an entire year of football and is only just getting back to his best and still polled 15 in what was an abysmal year for his team.

 

[Tom_Thumb]

My money is on Relton Roberts or Richard Tambling being the greatest ever Tiger.

 

[Moshie The Mook]

Easily the GOAT.

The only award he hasn't won is TIME Magazine 'Man Of The Year'.

 

[JackOutback]

Easily the GOAT.

The only award he hasn't won is TIME Magazine 'Man Of The Year'.

Would have to improve to get past Inanimate Carbon Rod.

 

[mikey_san]

Martin is a mighty good player - but he's not a pimple on Gary Ablett senior's arse imho. That guy was so far the best player on the field in his day it wasn't even funny. I don't think Martin is even the best player in the comp atm. Dangerfield for me.

 

[Benny78]

Stop this madness in the name of your king

 

[Rance2Mewtwo]

Martin is a mighty good player - but he's not a pimple on Gary Ablett senior's arse imho. That guy was so far the best player on the field in his day it wasn't even funny. I don't think Martin is even the best player in the comp atm. Dangerfield for me.

If Ablett was further ahead of his peer than Martin, he would've been further ahead in Brownlow votes etc.

 

[Juddernaut08]

That's greatest of all time by the way.

Just a fact check, Dustin Martin is 26 years old. Gary Ablett Jr who is often put in the GOAT discussions at 26 had:
- 2 premierships (Dusty has one) I'm not a fan of flags, as it's a team award
- 1 Brownlow medal (Dusty has one)
- 112 Brownlow votes (Dusty has 134)
- 3x MVP awards (Dusty has one)
- 4x All-Australians (Dusty has two)
- 2x Best and fairests (Dusty should win his 2nd)
- 2x B&F's in premiership years (Dusty should have one coming up)

So at 26 years old, Dusty is a bit behind GAJ at the same age, but obviously as we've seen, is virtually unstoppable and I think he might have a case should his career span maybe 8 more years? Most if not all would need to be elite. I'd go as far as to say Dusty's current ability exceeds Ablett Jr's best. I'm young but I haven't seen a player other than Carey's highlight reels be such a God-like figure on the field who could single-handedly carry his team over the line. Martin also looks destined to be a one-club player which for obvious reasons, is always looked up more to than multi-club players by AFL fans.

Dusty just completed the first hat-trick ever - Brownlow/Premiership/Norm Smith in the one season. Should he continue at a similar level which I see no reason why he can not, Martin by career's end could be one of the greatest ever. A second premiership would be huge to his credentials.

What do y'all think?

Nah it's not close. Ablett had many years of dominance. If dusty sustains this for 3 years then we can revisit but at the moment he's not even better than Dangerfield (career). Still a few tiers to climb.

 

[JackOutback]

If Ablett was further ahead of his peer than Martin, he would've been further ahead in Brownlow votes etc.

He was referring to Gary Ablett Sen and we know the Brownlow is basically a midfielder's award. It's an imperfect measure anyway as seen by the constantly falling records for most votes; umpires becoming more focused on stars and stats than watching the whole game.

 

[ess7]

He can't be the GOAT as we have to overrated players from previous generations anyway.

 

[Juddernaut08]

He can't be the GOAT as we have to overrated players from previous generations anyway.

Huh?

 

[Rance2Mewtwo]

Nah it's not close. Ablett had many years of dominance. If dusty sustains this for 3 years then we can revisit but at the moment he's not even better than Dangerfield (career). Still a few tiers to climb.

Ablett's dominance occurred in an era when it was common for multiple players to dominant in similar fashion.

He was a bit more freaky, but if you look at his era, you'll notice his performances weren't as far ahead of his competition compared to Dusty with his year this year.

 

[Benny78]

Ablett's dominance occurred in an era when it was common for multiple players to dominant in similar fashion.

He was a bit more freaky, but if you look at his era, you'll notice his performances weren't as far ahead of his competition compared to Dusty with his year this year.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA