AFL Chief Executive Officer Andrew Dillon today said football was farewelling two of its great champions, with the retirements of triple-premiership pair Dustin Martin and Tom Hawkins.
Martin announced his immediate retirement from the Tigers today while Hawkins will finish at the end of this season for the Cats, hoping to return to the senior side from his current foot injury.
Mr Dillon said it had been a privilege to watch both play, with Martin to be remembered as one of the greatest big-game performers in history and Hawkins as a power forward who dominated the front half of the ground. Both finish their careers with three flags, after long periods in the wilderness for their clubs before their arrival at league level, and as life members of the game.
Martin announced his immediate retirement today, calling time on a 302-game career at Richmond that saw him win a Brownlow Medal, two Jack Dyer Medals, be named as a four-time All Australian and carry the singular honour as the only triple Norm Smith medallist in the competition's history.
Hawkins has so far played a club-record 359 games for Cats, winning three flags, selected as an All Australian five times, including once as captain, and winning a Coleman Medal among the 11 seasons he finished as the club's leading goal kicker.
"Dustin Martin's performances in big games – finals and especially Grand Finals – stand comfortably on the podium alongside the best to ever do it, with so many occasions where he changed the momentum of the match and won the game for the Tigers," Dillon said.
"We will remember him for his power, his one-touch skill and strength over the ball to win so many contests in heavy traffic, his ability to break and fend off tackles, and kick the unbelievable goal that would turn the course of a match.
"He inspired his team mates countless times with moments that could barely be believed, and carried the Tiger army along to a period of unrivalled success that had eluded the club for more than three decades.
"As a quiet champion, he preferred to let his actions on the field speak for him, and his actions shout that he has been one of the greatest to have ever played our game," he said.
He said Hawkins had been the key target that Geelong had based its success around over the last decade, as a marking forward who also brought team mates around him into the game.
"As the games' record-holder at Geelong, Tom has been a keystone of the club's extraordinary run of success across the last 18 years, when he debuted as a father-son selection.
"He has outmatched defenders with his size and power, and combined with his agility and speed off the mark he has been a great forward of the modern era.
"Geelong has done an amazing job to remain consistently in contention for finals' appearances and Tom has been a primary reason for the club's elite standards.
"I wish both Tom and Dustin all the best with the next phase of their lives and it has been a privilege to watch two very different champions play our game."
Mr Dillon said all fans would cherish the signature moment of Martin's 300th game against Hawthorn earlier this season, when he kicked the first goal of the match from long range after more than 90,000 fans had been drawn to the MCG to pay tribute to his stellar career, and hoped there would be another chance for Hawkins to grace the field for Cats later this year.
"On behalf of the AFL, congratulations to Dustin and Tom and thank you for so many highlights that fans will cherish for years to come."
