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WHEN Dustin Martin gets the ball, the Richmond faithful rise to their feet.

In a 2017 season developing into one of footy's finest individual campaigns, 'Dusty' has perfected the ability to turn a game on its head in a devastating five-minute burst. 

The out-of-contract superstar has patented the 'don't argue', and looks set to leave competitors sprawling in his wake in this season's Brownlow Medal count.

Martin is raging favourite for the Brownlow, with 33 votes (including nine best-on-ground performances) already in the AFL.com.au Brownlow predictor. 

Last year, Dangerfield's Brownlow win set the all-time record for votes with 35, meaning Martin could potentially be just one best-on-ground performance away from setting a new Brownlow record. 

With the Tigers coming up against an undermanned Geelong on Saturday afternoon at Simonds Stadium, Martin could fittingly set the record playing against Dangerfield himself.

The stats within the streak

With Martin tipped to win by a large margin come Brownlow night in September, it's worth looking at some of the most dominant seasons by an individual player. 

Fellow Tiger Roy Wright won the 1954 Brownlow Medal by a whopping 10 votes, the most lop-sided win of all time.

That record margin is also well within Dusty's reach. According to the AFL.com.au Brownlow Predictor, he is already nine votes ahead of Dangerfield. Giant young gun Josh Kelly is even further back, trailing Martin by 12 with 21 predicted votes.

Wright was known as the "gentle giant", although by today's standards the ruckman would be considered a midfielder as he stood just one centimetre taller than Martin.

Alastair Lord (Geelong, 1962) and Dangerfield both won their medals by nine votes, while six players (Haydn Bunton, Fitzroy 1935; Des Fothergill, Collingwood and Herbie Matthews, South Melbourne 1940; Gordon Collis, Carlton 1964; Robert Harvey, St Kilda 1998; and Gary Ablett jnr, Geelong 2009) have finished eight votes ahead of second place.

Who's next best?

Here are the Brownlow-winning champs Patrick Dangerfield surged past in his stellar debut season for Geelong, setting the record for the highest votes total.

*Predicted votes after 20 rounds by AFL.com.au's Brownlow Predictor

The Chaser: Hardwick's hunt

Richmond recent record against Geelong remains one of the monkeys on the Tigers' backs. They haven't beaten the Cats since 2006. 

It means coach Damien Hardwick is yet to notch up a win against Cats counterpart Chris Scott, losing all six meetings by an average of 22 points. 

'Dimma' joins Dusty in being able to achieve their respective feats on Saturday afternoon against the Cats, who will be without talismanic skipper Joel Selwood.

Hardwick has in fact struggled against both Scott twins, with North Melbourne's Brad holding a 7-3 record over him. Fremantle and formerly St Kilda's Ross Lyon also has the wood on Hardwick, winning eight matches to three. 

Elsewhere in coach head-to-heads, one of the more intriguing clashes is between Hawthorn's Alastair Clarkson and Lyon. Both have coached dominant teams in the past decade, but Clarkson leads Lyon 11 wins to four, with one draw. 

Clarkson also has good coaching records over Nathan Buckley (6-1) and Brad Scott (7-2).

In the battle of the Johns, John Worsfold (West Coast / Essendon) is yet to taste victory against a John Longmire-led team, losing all five meetings.

Text: Sarah Black | Designs: Kahla Emonson | Stats: Cameron Sinclair

Want more?

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