Richmond superstar Martin is as private and reserved off the field as he is explosive and eye-catching on it.
As he has done for most of his decorated career, triple-premiership gun Martin has done his best to shun any unnecessary spotlight during the build-up.
Dustin Martin (left) and Noah Balta had a firm hold on the 2020 AFL premiership cup. (Dave Hunt/AAP PHOTOS)
That includes avoiding any type of press conference or media commitments, bar a photo with his fellow Richmond 300-gamers.
The 32-year-old midfielder will let his football do the talking against Hawthorn at the MCG on Saturday.
"I don't think it's a silent lead-up," coach Adem Yze said.
"There is a lot that's out there around Dusty with the highlights and the things our club has put out there.
"Leading into a big game, you've got to perform ... post-game, if we have a great win, he will be available to the media after that.
"The thing about Dusty is he wants to perform on the big stage, and we've got to give him that best opportunity.
"It's not silence, it's just the way he is. We don't want to put any more pressure on the fact that he wants to get out there and play a good game on Saturday.
"That's how he rolls. After the Norm Smith he spoke to the media. But that's after the event - he wants to go out there and perform first."
Arguably the best big-game player in the game's history, 2017 Brownlow winner and triple Norm Smith medallist Martin doesn't enjoy being the centre of attention.
But inside the club, his teammates won't give him a choice.
The spotlight was firmly on the shy Dustin Martin after he won the 2017 Brownlow Medal. (Julian Smith/AAP PHOTOS)
"We'll have a little bit of a highlight tape - and it won't be a little one, it's obviously going to be an amazing video tomorrow in our captain's run," Yze said.
"He'll cringe while we're showing it, but our players love playing with him, we have to celebrate it.
"We do that really well at our footy club - we celebrate our players, and we've got an opportunity to celebrate one of our best."
Martin played 278 of his games under Damien Hardwick, but first-year coach Yze has relished getting to know the goalkicking midfielder.
"Some of the care and connection he's got for his teammates and how smart he is out on the field - the knowledge that he's imparted on our younger players throughout the week has been amazing," he said.
Dustin Martin is extremely popular among his Richmond teammates. (Richard Wainwright/AAP PHOTOS)
"He'd hate me saying this - he could be a very good coach and it'd be the last thing that he would want to do, but the way he sees the game is amazing."
Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell faced off with Martin as a player and will now hope to spoil his milestone from the coaches' box.
"He's as good a player as we've seen in this generation," Mitchell said.
"It's quite a privilege to be able to play in this game as a club, and we'll do our best to take our role as the villain and take away what everyone hopes will be a fairytale.
"We're the villains in the story and we're happy to play that."
After the match, the focus may well again switch to Martin's future, with his bumper seven-year contract finishing at season's end, amid persistent speculation around a reunion with Hardwick at Gold Coast.
Dustin Martin has played most of his AFL games under former coach Damien Hardwick. (Dave Hunt/AAP PHOTOS)
Richmond haven't started talks with Martin, but want him to enjoy his football before discussing his future later in the year.
Yze was "100 per cent" certain game 300 wouldn't be Martin's last.
"If you watched him these last three weeks ... he is committed and started to play really good footy," he said.
"I've got no doubt he will finish the season."
10°C