Having commenced playing in the local Sale competition in 1933,[6] Des Martin soon won a place in the Sale team competing in the Gippsland Football Association.[7]
In 1936, Martin moved to Frankston where he made an immediate impression[8] and ended the season scoring four goals in a one-point loss to the Naval Depot team in the (Preliminary) Final of the Peninsula League.[9] He was a leading player throughout 1937 before he was sidelined with injury for the 1938 season. Martin trained with South Melbourne before the 1939 season[10] but he did not make the final list and he returned to Frankston.
In October 1940 Martin enlisted to service in the Royal Australian Air Force in World War II[11] but was subsequently discharged due to a physical defect with his leg.[12]
Martin returned to South Melbourne in 1941 and after playing well in the reserves[13] he made his debut in the middle of the 1941 VFL season.[14] A rover and half forward, he played nine games that year.
Martin enlisted for a second time in early 1942, this time in the Australian Army,[15] and had an operation to correct an issue in his leg.[12] He was made captain of the South Melbourne seconds team but made one more appearance in the senior team in round 11 of the 1942 VFL season.
Des Martin crossed over to Richmond in the middle of the 1942 season[16] and he played five games for them, his final appearance being as a reserve for Richmond in the 1942 VFL Grand Final, which they lost to Essendon.[14]
Martin joined the Berrigan Football Club as captain-coach when he returned from war service.[15][17]
He won the Murray Football League's best and fairest award, the O'Dwyer Medal in 1946 and was runner up in 1948, when playing for Berrigan.
In 1947, Martin coached Minyip Football Club[18]
