Kane Cornes has questioned Carlton’s lack of planning for Richmond champion Dustin Martin.
The three-time Norm Smith Medallist drove the Tigers to a 25-point win in Thursday night’s season opener at the MCG with 31 disposals, two goals, 12 score involvements, eight inside 50s and four goal assists.
Martin appeared to do as he pleased throughout the night which prompted Cornes, who played on some of the game’s very best midfielders, to suggest that he has the opposition “spooked”.
Cornes also wondered what Blues coach David Teague and his staff were doing in failing to instruct any of their players to place any semblance of pressure on the Tigers star.
“One thing I’ve learnt is Dustin Martin has the competition absolutely spooked,” he said on SEN’s The Captain’s Run.
“I’ve never seen a player in the history of the game that the opposition is as petrified of.
“He did it again last night.
“No plan, nothing. Nothing to curtail the best player that we are going to see in the last 100 years.
“How in the world can the player of the century, a three-time Norm Smith Medallist, take an uncontested chest mark 10 metres out from goal with not one Carlton player anywhere near him?
“How can the best match-up deep be Adam Saad? How can that possibly happen when you have a coach who is getting paid $6-700,000, he’s got 10 assistant coaches, and you’ve got 40 full-time athletes that did not have a plan for Dustin Martin.
“Why would you not at least try to take away the opposition’s biggest weapon?”
Cornes continued, indicating that a lack of plan from Teague and the Blues allowed Martin to roam free and essentially win the game for the reigning premiers.
“He was the difference last night and if Carlton miss the finals by one game, it might just cost someone their job,” he added.
“He’s brilliant, he’s thrilling, he was the story for me last night. He looks hungry, he looks fit, but it’s all too hard for the opposition.
“‘Teaguey’, I don’t know what you did for the last four months. You knew you were playing Richmond in Round 1. You didn’t have a plan.
“You cannot honestly sit here and tell me you had a plan to take away the opposition’s biggest weapon who was again the difference.
“We’ll wait and see what happens for the rest of the year. I’m not suggesting there is room for the old-fashioned tagger, but you need a plan and the opposition do not have one for Dustin Martin.
“You had all pre-season to come up with a plan for Dustin Martin and you served up that. You served up nothing Teaguey.
“I like you Teaguey but you served up nothing last night.”
The Blues now look ahead to Thursday’s blockbuster clash with old enemy Collingwood at the MCG whilst the Tigers will aim to start the new season 2-0 when they meet Hawthorn next Sunday.
