▁finished ▁with ▁the ▁next ▁most ▁votes ▁( 3 3 ) ▁but ▁was ▁in el ig ible ▁to ▁win ▁after ▁being ▁susp ended ▁in ▁July ▁for ▁a ▁dangerous ▁tack le ▁against ▁. ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁Martin ' s ▁runner - up ▁Tom ▁Mitchell ▁finished ▁a ▁full ▁ 1 1 ▁points ▁behind ▁with ▁ 2 5 ▁votes ▁total . ▁Days ▁later ▁Martin ▁would ▁lead ▁his ▁team ▁to ▁a ▁grand ▁final ▁match - up ▁with ▁minor - pre mi ers ▁. ▁After ▁a ▁tight ▁first ▁half , ▁Richmond ▁ran ▁over ▁the ▁top ▁of ▁Ad ela ide ▁in ▁the ▁second , ▁se cur ing ▁a ▁ 3 7 - year ▁dr ought ▁breaking ▁premi ership ▁with ▁a ▁ 4 8 - point ▁victory ▁in ▁front ▁of ▁more ▁than ▁one ▁hundred ▁thousand ▁spect ators ▁at ▁the ▁M CG . ▁Martin ▁was ▁best - on - field ▁in ▁the ▁win , ▁recording ▁ 2 9 ▁dispos als , ▁a ▁st agger ing ▁ 2 1 ▁cont ested ▁poss essions ▁and ▁two ▁goals . ▁He ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁Norm ▁Smith ▁Medal ▁as ▁a ▁result , ▁and ▁thus ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁player ▁in ▁league ▁history ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁award ▁and ▁a ▁premi ership ▁in ▁the ▁same ▁year ▁as ▁receiving ▁the ▁Brown low ▁Medal . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁home ▁and ▁away ▁season ▁V FL / AF L ▁legend ▁Le igh ▁Matt he ws ▁had ▁named ▁Martin ' s ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁season ▁as ▁the ▁best ▁by ▁any ▁player ▁in ▁the ▁history ▁of ▁the ▁game . ▁By