AFL great Luke Hodge has provided a fascinating, first-hand insight into how difficult an opponent Richmond champion Dustin Martin is.

The four-time Hawthorn premiership hero was very rarely beaten throughout his stellar 364-game AFL career, and was renowned for his nerves of steel on the field of battle.

UNITED Add-on or become a United Tiger member to help ensure our Club's Strong & Bold future

But in his new role as a football commentator, Hodge has admitted to being unnerved by Dusty.

“He’s tough to play on. He’s really smart in his positioning,” Hodge said on SEN.

“Every team likes to play an 18-man press these days, so Dusty will be sitting 40 metres out the back. I’ll be sitting at the back of the press trying to be a part of the zone, but at the same time you are thinking, if I squeeze up and they hit kicks through the middle of that press, they might get it out the back to him.

“So, you’re always cautious of where he is, which takes your attention off the role you’ve got to do with the rest of your teammates.

“Because he’s got that presence and puts himself in dangerous positions, it takes the defender’s attention away from what they should be doing . . . they’re more focused on him.

“One little slip-up in a defensive unit, as we’ve seen, can hit the scoreboard, and that’s what Dusty does best.”