Hardwick declares Gabba goal Dusty’s greatest moment

In an AFL career littered with some of the greatest highlights ever produced, one Dustin Martin moment stands out above all others for Damien Hardwick.

It came during the 2020 grand final and was pivotal to the third premiership the pair shared as player and coach in Richmond’s golden era.

“Everyone will say the goal at the very end, but there’s a goal just before half-time,” Hardwick said when asked on Thursday to reflect on the retired superstar’s career.

“If he didn’t kick that goal just before half-time, Richmond don’t win that grand final.”

It was the first of Martin’s four goals against Geelong that October night at the Gabba, in the most unusual of grand-final settings, and dragged Richmond back within 15 points in a low-scoring affair.

Martin added three more in the second half to steer the Tigers to the flag in a signature performance, sealing in the final quarter when he shrugged off a Patrick Dangerfield tackle and kicked truly from the pocket.

“He’s an incredible player,” said Hardwick, who presided over 14 of Martin’s 15 seasons at Richmond before stepping away to take the reins to the Gold Coast.

“He’s probably the best player I’ve coached and one of the best players I’ve ever seen.

“What I love about him is he’s a match-winner. He’s one of those players that when push comes to shove and the game’s on the line, he wants the ball.

“More importantly, his team knows that he wants the ball as well.

“He’s a great player first and foremost but he’s an outstanding person as well.”

Hardwick’s successor at Punt Road, Adem Yze, said Martin had been contemplating his retirement decision for weeks before making the call after the Tigers’ loss to North Melbourne in round 21.

“He’s been battling a little bit,” Yze said on Thursday.

“He’s been trying so hard for his footy club and his teammates.

“He wanted to get another win, but the weight of that decision has finally been a little bit too much and he gets to move on.”

First-year Tigers coach Yze spent more time in the coaches’ box trying to stop Martin while serving as an assistant at Hawthorn and Melbourne.

“I’ve only known him for 12 months and it’s sad in a way,” he said.

“I remember scouting games where I’d be sitting in the stand at the MCG and looking down and he’s got an opponent on him, and it would be a big opponent, and he’d just be calling for the ball as if, ‘ Just kick me the ball, I’ll beat this guy.

“It wasn’t an arrogant thing – he just knew that he could win contests every time the ball was in his area.

“He was obviously really hard to scout because he was just a talent inside the contest and then when he went forward he was a menace.

“We’re going to miss him.”

Richmond will officially farewell Martin at their last home game of the year – against Hardwick’s Gold Coast.

“It will be nice to see him walk around and wave to the ‘Tiger Army’ in the last game,” Yze said.

“They (the fans) will get to still send him off in the right way.”