Dustin Martin [merged]

[one-eyed]

$2.4m offer for Tiger's young gun Dustin Martin from Greater Western Sydney

    * Mark Robinson
    * From: Herald Sun
    * May 26, 2010

RICHMOND young gun Dustin Martin has a potential $2.4 million contract ahead of him after just eight games of football.

 It is believed Martin, 18, has a verbal offer of $800,000 a season over three seasons from 2012 from the New South Wales expansion team, despite denials yesterday from Greater Western Sydney.

The good news for Tigers fans is Martin wants to stay at Punt Rd and contract negotiations with the Tigers will be discussed in the second half of this year.

If he stays, he could reasonably demand between $400,000-$500,000 a season.

Martin's manager Ricky Nixon said yesterday: "I don't want to get involved in discussion over Dustin's negotiations, other than to say it's a unique situation with two new teams coming into the competition."

As barbs continue to be traded between the Tigers, GWS and its coach Kevin Sheedy, Martin has been made aware a boom contract awaits him if he doesn't re-sign with Richmond.

 GWS head of football Graeme Allan yesterday said the club had yet to prioritise its wish-list and had not spoken to Martin.

"We don't comment on player contracts," Allan said.

Nixon and Richmond yesterday agreed to make no further public comment on Martin's future after yet another report linking Martin to the expansion team.

It was first revealed in the Herald Sun on May 12 that the Tigers had began contract talks with Nixon, which revolved around a telephone call from Richmond to Nixon.

Sheedy upped the ante with the Tigers in a recent column in the Sunday Herald Sun.

He said the Tigers' promising youngsters would be targeted by the GWS, and that the Tigers had never got their business together in two decades.

Tigers president Gary March yesterday was quoted as saying clubs needed protection from losing early-round draftees to the expansion teams.

The AFL has said the Tigers must fight to keep their players, like every club.

Martin, pick No. 3 in last year's national draft, is contracted until the end of 2011 on a base salary of $57,300, plus payments of $2800 for every match.

His form this season has wowed Tigers officials.

Richmond's issue is GWS will pay a superstar's wage for Martin, so the Tigers will have to pay "overs" for a player of such inexperience.

As the club develops a new list, and after recent signings of Brett Deledio and Trent Cotchin, Martin's signature on a new contract is priority No. 1.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/m-offer-for-tigers-young-gun-dustin-martin-from-greater-western-sydney/story-e6frf9jf-1225871283986

[WA Tiger]

Well I am afraid to say that if he does not re-sign I will officially give up following football and the RFC. I will concentrate on my childrens sport, motorbike riding, Golf, my photography, V8's, MotoGP, World Superbikes and a number of other interests that I put off yearly to watch and support my club. At least I will have plenty of time up my sleeve during the football season to fulfil my hobbies.

If Martin leaves it will finally prove that money is all this game has become and that we will never make it because all we will be doing year after year is trying to rebuild a team that will never exist as we will continue to lose players to the wealthier clubs.

Lets hope he stays!!

[the_boy_jake]

Well I am afraid to say that if he does not re-sign I will officially give up following football and the RFC.

Suddenly Martin doesn't seem such a terrible loss

[WA Tiger]

Well I am afraid to say that if he does not re-sign I will officially give up following football and the RFC.

Suddenly Martin doesn't seem such a terrible loss

Now now, it's been quite pleasent on here over the last few days, well for me anyway...

[mightytiges]

The good news for Tigers fans is Martin wants to stay at Punt Rd and contract negotiations with the Tigers will be discussed in the second half of this year.

If he stays, he could reasonably demand between $400,000-$500,000 a season.

That's all that matters. Sheeds can go and fly a kite for all I care .

The Gold Coast were apparently going hard after Foley last year and he re-signed and extended his contract to 2012. 

[Chuck17]

Anyone who supported Sheedy's push for power at the RFC should be ashamed of themselves.

What a tossbag.

[Smokey]

..... where at least GC is kind of nice to take your kids and go to the theme parks.
 

Not true Tucker.  GC is a horrible place to raise kids.  It's full of drugs, crime and values false ego above every other human emotion.  I raised some of my children through their teenage years living on the Gold Coast and didn't get a moment's peace.  It's feral.

[blaisee]

Anyone who supported Sheedy's push for power at the RFC should be ashamed of themselves.

What a tossbag.

sheedy would love to see the tiges stay on the bottom, the senile old fart still reckons he should of got the rfc coaching job. he is a disgrace

[Penelope]

I hope Richmond does not try and match that offer. $800k for a bloke that has played 8 games is just ludicrous.
Getting involved in bidding wars and paying players more than their worth nearly drove our club (and collingwood) broke. It was the catalyst for the drafting system and salary cap we have in place now

It's even more ludicrous that the AFL are happy for this to happen. Do they really want a situation where the whole players payment market becomes artificially inflated due to these sorts of scenarios?

Not really into the idea of expecting any favours from the AFL due to our perennial crapness, but the league really need to look at protecting lower clubs from loosing early draft selections, the future of the clubs so to speak, to cashed up vultures. It defeats the whole purpose of the draft and the ramifications could be far reaching for the game in general. It has the potential to rip the heart and soul out of the game, what is left of it anyway.

[julzqld]

..... where at least GC is kind of nice to take your kids and go to the theme parks.
 

Not true Tucker.  GC is a horrible place to raise kids.  It's full of drugs, crime and values false ego above every other human emotion.  I raised some of my children through their teenage years living on the Gold Coast and didn't get a moment's peace.  It's feral.

Depends which end of the Gold Coast you live smokey.  Also depends on how you raise your kids - some people don't give a toss about how they raise their kids.  Won't discipline because they don't want to break little Johnny's spirit!

[Francois Jackson]

Only thing worse than Martin going would be to see the look on that old  face if Dustin signs on the dotted line.

That would cut real deep


Edited for avoiding the swear filter and using the "C" word which is unacceptable and wont be tolerated - you've been warned Daniel

[Smokey]

Depends which end of the Gold Coast you live smokey.

I agree to an extent Julz but only to the extent that in some pockets of the Coast it's not too bad - and that is more in the quieter suburbs, not the more famous and well trodden beach/city areas.  The main problem is that all teenage kids want to do is party with all the other kids and as you know, on the Coast that means Surfers or Broadbeach which are both dangerous and (bad) influential places for kids to socialise.  I hated it when ever my kids went out in town because even though I rate them as fairly sensible and level-headed, the place is just full of idiots looking for nothing else but trouble and/or a market for their drugs.  I know that other cities are like this also but the Gold Coast is a relatively small city and concentrates it's social scene fairly tightly, hence the increased likelihood of trouble happening where your innocent kids might be.  And for it's size, I rate it much worse than either Melbourne or Sydney, and I believe I can fairly compare because I have lived and raised kids in all 3.

Also depends on how you raise your kids - some people don't give a toss about how they raise their kids.  Won't discipline because they don't want to break little Johnny's spirit!

Too true! 

[the_boy_jake]

Sunny coast would be a much better place to raise kids.

Gold coast is the manifestation of the worst of the get rich quick value system. In the 20 years I've been going there its changed massively. I've never seen so many tattoo 'sleeves' in on place either

[Ramps]

should not be offered more than 400k to stay with us and he should be prepared to sign a 5 year deal to get it, if Dustin doesnt like the offer he should go to GWS- our club shouldnt allow itself to be held to ransom by other clubs, every year a new batch comes through, every kid wants to play AFL, RFC should hold firm and not stuff up the clubs finances for an 8 game player.

[Chuck17]

The player isn't the issue here it is GWS and Sheedy

Whatever we can afford we must to keep any of our young guns