Dustin Martin kicks magical first goal in his 300th AFL game as Richmond lose to Hawthorn in front of a record crowd at MCG
Dustin Martin played his 300th match for the Richmond Tigers on Saturday, June 15, during Round 14 of the 2024 AFL season. The club competed against the Hawthorn Hawks.
Martin displayed an amazing performance and even scored a goal for his team. He made the first goal of the match in the first quarter, helping his team take an early lead. However, Hawthorn soon responded with a goal and took the lead. In the first quarter, Richmond scored two goals while Hawthorn scored four, leading the game 27-15.
The Hawks maintained their dominance as the game progressed. In the second quarter, they made three goals while Richmond struggled, managing only two.
Hawthorn displayed exemplary performance in the third quarter and delivered six goals while Richmond scored only one. In the end, Hawthorn won 97-49.
Despite Dustin Martin's great outing, his team lost the game in front of over 90,000 in his 300th game for the Richmond Tigers.
Dustin Martin gets emotional post his 300th match
Following the match, Dustin Martin got emotional seeing an enormous crowd gathered to cheer for him. Although he was disappointed with the result as his team lost the match, Martin was touched to see the fans cheering for him.
Speaking of his incredible fanbase in the stadium, Martin said (via Fox Sports):
"It’s amazing; disappointing result for the club. I love the Tiger Army so much, I love the club so much, it means the absolute world to me. All the love I received this week has meant the absolute world to me. Thank you everyone who sent me a message, social media, on the radio, I felt so loved this week. I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart, I appreciate it."
It is important to note that Dustin Martin has been playing for the Richmond Tigers since 2010. During his incredibly successful career, he has scored 338 goals for his team.
The star player has also received numerous accolades over the years. He earned the prestigious Norm Smith Medal three times in his career (2017, 2019, and 2020). Moreover, he received the Brownlow Medal and the Leigh Matthews Trophy in 2017. In addition to that, Martin received the AFL Rising Star nomination in 2010.