DUSTIN Martin could be in hot water with the Match Review Officer after an off-the-ball incident against Greater Western Sydney on Saturday, but Richmond coach Damien Hardwick wants more protection for his superstar.

With the Tigers preparing to kick the ball in after a behind in the second term, Martin appeared to collect a GWS player with a high shot to the head.

It was spotted by the umpires with a free kick awarded to Brent Daniels in front of goal.

Martin has had a quiet start to the year by his standards and was locked in a running battle with tagger Matt de Boer during Saturday's clash.

FULL MATCH COVERAGE Giants v Tigers

The close attention from De Boer and his fellow Giants appeared to unsettle Martin, who gave a middle-finger gesture to an unknown GWS player during a heated verbal exchange in the second quarter.  

Martin finished the game with just 15 disposals and six tackles as the Tigers went down by 49 points.

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick was just as agitated as his superstar onballer after the match and questioned his treatment by de Boer off the ball.

"Why do you reckon he might give away that free kick?" he said.

"At the end of the day people come to watch the No.4 play, let the bloke play the game and protect the ball carrier is what I'm saying.

"Don't get me wrong de Boer did a terrific job but geez, hmmm.

"I'm certainly frustrated and I'll be interested to see what the umpiring fraternity says about it."

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Despite Hardwick's grievances, he said he won't be following it up with a phone call to the umpiring department this week.

"I don't bother mate, I don't bother," he said.

He did however make his feelings known to the whistle blowers during the match, when he left the coaches box to remonstrate with the emergency umpire over Martin's treatment.

"I was just asking (what is) their responsibility to the ball player," he said.

"I didn't get a response."

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There was conjecture that Martin's angry gesturing was in response to taunting from GWS ruckman Shane Mumford. 

Mumford said he didn't see Martin's response, but confirmed he had been sledging the champion Tiger. 

"I've got no idea. No idea. I was abusing him from the other side of the field, I know that," Mumford said. 

"Obviously there was (something) but I didn't see it so didn't have any effect."

Dustin Martin responds to a Giants player with a middle-finger gesture. Picture: Getty Images

GWS coach Leon Cameron defended de Boer, saying post-match he didn't see anything too out of the ordinary in terms of the Giant's physicality off the ball.

"I thought Matty did a terrific job, it was a good duel from ground level," he said.

"Until I have look at the behind the goals (vision I can't really comment), but I thought Matty played a good, fair game.

"He's a ball player, he just plays really tight.

"I thought we played the game in the right manner, we played it hard and tough, they played hard and tough, and we came out on top.

"I know you guys are going to speculate on it, but sometimes you lower your colours, and I thought Matty did an exceptional job."