Superstar duo Dustin Martin and Patrick Dangerfield loom large ahead of Saturday night’s historic Grand Final between Richmond and Geelong at the Gabba.
Martin is one of just four players in VFL/AFL history to have won two Norm Smith Medals (2017 and 2019) and shapes as the game-breaker in the Tigers’ quest for a third flag in four years.
After four losing Preliminary Finals, Dangerfield will get his chance to play on the game’s biggest stage for the first time with the Cats out to win a first premiership since 2011.
But which Brownlow Medallist is more important to their side?
Tim Watson believes Martin is more pivotal to Richmond’s chances because of one key statistic.
“Dusty during this finals series has been involved in 40 per cent of the Tigers’ scores – that is extraordinary,” Watson told SEN Breakfast.
“Based on the statistic that I read out before, I think Dusty is more important to Richmond right now than what Danger would be to Geelong.”
Dangerfield has spent more time forward during the finals, but how will he be deployed in Saturday night’s decider against the reigning premiers?
“He’s great, he’s got great power … but he doesn’t always have the finesse around his field kicking out of the centre, and there was some great vision (Fox Footy's Ultimate Preview) about how that led to a turnover and Richmond taking the ball from one end of the ground to the other to score," Watson said.
“I think that was a great underline of why he is probably better suited to playing in the forward line.”
1967 was the last time Richmond and Geelong met in a Grand Final.