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GWS out to stop AFL match-winner Martin

Greater Western Sydney must find a way to negate Richmond's match-winner Dustin Martin if they are to prevail in their AFL preliminary final.

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Source: AAP


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Brett Deledio has played on Dustin Martin countless times during training sessions at Punt Rd Oval.

The stakes will be immeasurably higher in Saturday's AFL preliminary final, but Deledio is happy to shoulder the burden of stopping former teammate Martin whenever Richmond's Brownlow medal favourite drifts forward.

"I've done it plenty of times before. Back at training in the previous years, so it won't be too foreign to me," Greater Western Sydney veteran Deledio said.

"I'd just be doing my job as if he's another guy from any other team."

GWS coach Leon Cameron will be fretting over how best to curb the influence of Martin, who had tallied 31 and 35 disposals when the clubs met in the regular season.

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Ruckman Rory Lobb has vowed to help out where he can, following in the footsteps of injured teammate Shane Mumford by taking a combative approach to corral the Tigers' on-ballers and create space for the Giants' midfielders.

"Obviously, he's a very good player and very hard to stop. We have to nullify him as much as we can," Lobb said of Martin.

"I'll try and throw my body around as much as possible.

"I have to get used to getting in there and bumping a few people."

Martin failed to kick a goal against Geelong in week one of the finals - the first time it has happened since round 14.

But the 26-year-old was widely regarded as best on ground, having busted the qualifying final open during the last quarter and overpowering a plethora of would-be tacklers with his trademark 'don't argue'.

"Try not to be on the end of a stiff arm. That'd be one of the most-embarrassing things to happen for me," Deledio said.

"So knock the arm down and try and get underneath it ... or corral him and, hopefully, someone runs him down.

"I marvelled at some of the stuff he was doing in previous years when I was playing with him but he's gone to another level this year."


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