What is driving West Australian Martin,instead,is a desire to play an AFL final,something he has never done and something the Blues haven’t done since 2013,the year before he entered the league.
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“I’m desperate. And I think everyone is. Obviously Blues haven’t played finals for a long time. Obviously that’s what we play footy for but we know it’s a long season and it’s going to take hard work. We’re willing to do that. We’re just looking forward to the challenge to be honest.
“We were in a lot of games up until the last quarter. I think we’ll get a massive experience out of those games,definitely learn a lot.”
On the personal front,Martin - whofinished sixth in Carlton’s 2020 best and fairest - said his form had tailed off towards the back-end of the season,in part because of fitness concerns,which he said he had put behind him.
“Individually I thought I started the year pretty well and sort of dropped away. It’s just about consistency this year for me,” Martin said.
New Blue Zac Williams.Credit:Getty Images
“I think my body last year at times just wasn’t allowing me to train at a high intensity. Just more of a focus about getting out on the track every week,being able to train,back it up. I think that’s the main focus this year.
“I’m 100 per cent at the moment. I’ll be good to go once the games come around.”
Martin is keen to push more into the midfield this year,looking at a 50-50 split along with former Giants defender Williams,who will have a different role at Carlton.
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“It’d probably be 50-50,depending on how the game’s going,” he said. “He’ll go forward,I’ll go midfield. We’re just building that little combination I guess.”
Martin said he had actually benefited from Cartlon’s extended stay in a Queensland hub last year,which allowed him to get to know his new teammates better. But he can’t wait to play in front of big crowds at the MCG,a lure to join the Blues and something he was denied last year because of the pandemic.
Martin nominated key forward Harry McKay and emerging midfield star Sam Walsh as two of the big pre-season improvers for the Blues.
“He looks fitter,stronger,” Martin said of McKay,while adding that he expected Walsh to go to another level.
The Indigenous Martin also touched on the fallout of the recentindependent report into racism at Collingwood.
“I’m not too political on this one. But it affects me,it affects everyone. We need to move together,forward as one. The day we can do that,is the day we’ll move forward as Australia I think,” he said.