Dustin Martin, Richmond's rookie sensation, has unveiled the league's most dramatic insignia tattoos.

The talented midfielder who claimed after being selected with the third pick in last year's national draft that he was "born to play in the AFL" - and has proven just that this season - has paid tribute to his father Shane and their Maori heritage with the insignia "Ngati Maru" emblazoned on the right side of his neck. And ''Matai Whetu'' tattooed on the left side.

In a complex story detailed on the New Zealand government's website, the tale of the Ngati Maru tribe featured the emergence of the leader Rautao and the retribution he took for the death of his father and brother, the death of a Hauraki "water monster", further conflicts with northern tribes and the rise of Hauauru as a leader. Matai Whetu is the meeting place of the Ngati Maru.

In a 2006 census, it was found there were 3,375 Maori descendents of the Ngati Maru.

Martin revealed the tattoos while training at Punt Rd on Tuesday, having had the work done during the mid-season break.

"I actually asked him what do they mean - the words," a Tigers spokesman told backpagelead.com.au.

"He said they were just from his bloodlines."

Shane Martin shifted to Australia when he was 21 and was known to all as "Kiwi" when he played football in the Bendigo league.

It's not the first time Martin has made a statement - literally - on his body.

In November last year, soon after he was drafted with the No.3 pick by the Tigers, it was revealed he had a large tattoo "Live Free. Die Free" inked on his chest.

He said at the time it was a motto he and his father lived by and both had imprinted on their bodies.

The tattoos, however, didn't appear to overly impress Richmond's media manager at the time who, conscious of the club's reputation, stepped in when Martin was asked to lift his shirt by reporters.

The Tigers this season also stopped midfielder Richard Tambling from revealing his chest tattoos featuring the names of his children for a photo shoot.

Teammate Ben Cousins has attracted plenty of attention for his "Such is Life" tattoo.

Martin recently moved in with Tigers president Gary March, who did not wish to comment when contacted today.

Martin has a colourful background, having left Castlemaine High - and school - after year nine and moved to Sydney with his father. There he worked at his dad's transports business and his dad's girlfriend's sports apparel business.

He returned to Victoria in 2008 and played a handful of game with the Bendigo Pioneers.

Buoyed by this form, he emerged as a stand-out in the under-18 competition last year, claiming the Pioneers' best and fairest and attracting the attention of all AFL clubs bar botom-placed Melbourne, who had settled on Tom Scully and Jack Trengove as their first two picks in the national draft.

Martin has played every game this season and has been in such great form that he has already been offered a multi-million dollar to join Greater Western Sydney from 2012.

But he cannot win the Rising Star award after pleading guilty to a front-on bump in round three.