Long before Dusty started dominating the AFL scene with Richmond, there was another top Tiger Martin, who was an elite on-baller and also had the capacity to hit the scoreboard. Tony Greenberg takes up the story . . .
John Raymond Martin made up the third part of one of the most formidable first ruck combinations in league football history.
Alongside powerhouse Richmond big men Percy Bentley and Jack Dyer, the 173cm and 73kg Martin carved out an illustrious career as the Tigers’ No. 1 rover throughout the Club’s golden era of the 1930s.
Ray Martin, as he was known, combined a fearless desire to win the ball with slick skills. He set up numerous opportunities for teammates with his superb disposal and was always dangerous around goals.
Recruited by Richmond from West Hawthorn Amateurs, Martin spent two seasons in the reserves before making his senior debut with the Tigers in Round 2 of the 1930 season against Carlton at Princes Park.
He played the following week against Essendon, but then didn’t appear at senior league level again until Round 1, 1932, after spending the 1931 season with Victorian country team Daylesford.
Upon his Richmond return, Martin quickly established himself as an integral member of the senior side.
Martin played in all of the Tigers’ 20 games throughout 1932, including the Grand Final triumph over Carlton, and he kicked 16 goals for the season.
The following year, he appeared in all 21 matches, including the Grand Final loss to South Melbourne, and he scored a total of 20 goals.
In 1934, Martin took his game to an even higher level. He finished third in the prestigious Brownlow Medal with 17 votes and was one of Richmond’s best players in its Grand Final win against South Melbourne.
There were a couple of newspaper articles during that season which highlighted Martin’s importance within the Tigers’ line-up.
The first one, in ‘The Argus newspaper, stated: “He (Ray Martin) can always be relied upon to place the ball with a teammate. Ray is, without doubt, the surest kick in the team, and were he to miss a few games through illness or injury, Richmond would be in a sorry plight, for there is not another player on the list who could carry on the roving job with Ray’s effectiveness. He is as consistent as the tides”.
Then, following the Tigers’ mighty Round 17 comeback victory over reigning premier South Melbourne (five goals down at one stage) at Punt Road, in front of a huge crowd of 40,000, The Argus reported: “Martin, the Richmond rover, was the most conspicuous player in the match. He was in the play most of the day and, despite several mistakes early in the match, was notable for his dash, determination, cleverness in the crushes and, principally, his accurate passing. In the second half he was brilliant . . . Martin, easily the best man on the ground, was Richmond’s guiding spirit.”
A few weeks later, Martin was one of the Tigers’ best when they avenged their 1933 Grand Final loss to South Melbourne, beating the Bloods by 39 points in the ’34 premiership decider.
Overall, Martin played 159 games and kicked 135 goals in his decade-long, league football career with the Tigers up until the end of the 1940 season.
He won Richmond’s Best and Fairest award in 1935 and was made a life member of the Club in 1940.
