Dustin Martin played a starring role as Richmond hammered an undermanned Port Adelaide by 66 points in Saturday’s NAB Challenge clash in Albury.

Martin, in his first game of the pre-season, gathered 27 possessions playing predominantly on the ball in the 1.14.10 (103) to 0.5.7 (37) win.

The result was unsurprising given the lopsided level of experience between the teams.

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Port fielded a youthful side without a host of stars including Travis Boak, Hamish Hartlett and Robbie Gray, while the Tigers named close to their strongest team, minus Trent Cotchin and Nathan Foley.

Richmond took full advantage of that disparity, but their quick, clean ball movement and lightning transition from defence to attack was impressive enough to suggest it would have troubled stronger opposition.

Jack Riewoldt kicked a goal and Ivan Maric had 27 hitouts in their first runs of the pre-season series before they were subbed out at three-quarter time.

Brett Deledio was another veteran brought into the side that lost to the Western Bulldogs at their last start and he was important with 20 touches.

Port’s first score off the boot was an Aaron Young goal that came in the 17th minute of the second quarter and by that stage the Tigers had piled on seven goals and a nine-pointer, courtesy of Ben Lennon.

Sam Lloyd, who finished with four goals, became Richmond’s 10th different goal scorer early in the third quarter as the lead blew out to 61 points, but the scoreboard was largely irrelevant by then.

Stand-in Port coach Matthew Nicks would have wanted to see greater intensity from his charges than they showed early and he got it as the Power youngsters managed to stem the flow of goals in the second half.

There were other positives for the Power with injury-plagued ruckman Jarrad Redden kicking a goal in his first game since round 10, 2013, and FoxFooty’s ‘The Recruit’ winner Johann Wagner playing his first game.

It was a tough assignment for Wagner, who played deep forward with All-Australian defender Alex Rance on him for most of the day.

Kane Mitchell (26 possessions) and Jared Polec (26) worked hard all day and were important as Port at least managed to win the last quarter.

Elsewhere, Melbourne burst from the blocks before completing a seven-point win over the Western Bulldogs at Eureka Stadium in Ballarat.

Former Carlton goalsneak Jeff Garlett got the Demons up and going with the first two goals of the game which Melbourne won 0.10.9 (69) to 0.9.8 (62).

Melbourne had the match pretty much sewn up by halftime, when they led by 45 points and had amassed more than double the amount of possessions than the Bulldogs.

No Demon has reached the modest 30-goal mark in any of the past three home and away seasons.

But judging on Saturday’s showing, that could change in 2015.

Garlett and Jay Kennedy-Harris (two goals apiece) provide dangerous small options, while Jesse Hogan – given an overdue run of luck on the injury front – looks set to finally make his mark on the competition.

The Demons would also have been thrilled with the midfield run and carry provided by ex-Collingwood star Heretier Lumumba.

“They made a difference,” said Melbourne coach Paul Roos.

“We’re seeing a lot more depth and hopefully a lot more talent in the team.

“We’ve just got to make sure we’re doing it consistently.”