Dusty deal won't compromise list build: Dan Richardson (SEN)

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Dan Richardson on SEN:

AUDIO: http://www.richmondfc.com.au/video/2017-09-01/dan-richardson-explains-dustys-deal

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Martin signature won’t compromise list build

By SEN
1 September 2017

Richmond talent manager Dan Richardson says signing Dustin Martin to a multi-million dollar deal will not prevent the club from potentially signing future free agents.

The raging Brownlow Medal favourite has signed a seven-year contract to remain a Tiger for life, believed to be worth around $1.3 million a season.

Richardson told SEN Breakfast the club would never make any decisions surrounding one player that could compromise the list.

“We feel we’re building a strong young list and certainly wouldn’t make any decisions around one individual player that would compromise that,” he said.

“We’re confident that we can retain all the players we want to retain, and at the appropriate time continue to strengthen our list should the opportunity arise.

“We think we’ve done that well over the last 12 months particularly.”

Richardson said it was a massive relief to finally obtain Martin’s signature, and the club had no issue that the 26-year-old decided to announce his decision on The Footy Show.

“It’s great news for the football club and great news for Dustin. We’re really happy it’s just resolved to be honest,” he said.

“Dustin handled himself terrifically in The Footy Show interview, we know he hasn’t done a lot of interviews over the journey so far, but we thought he handled himself well, and represented the club well, so we didn’t have a problem at all.”

He said he took suggestions from Martin’s manager Ralph Carr that a week ago he was on his way to North Melbourne on ‘face value’.

“We had an inkling over the last few days that things had been moving in the right direction,” Richardson said.

“Most of the time we were confident Dustin was happy, that he’s in an environment that he can thrive, grow and be the best player he can be, and he’s certainly done that this year.

“We were always confident he would stay, but there’s always that element of trepidation, particularly in the age on free agency.”

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2017/08/31/martin-signature-won-t-compromise-list-build/

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Dusty deal won't stop Tigers retaining talent

afl.com.au
1 September 2017

RICHMOND is confident the massive deal required to re-sign Dustin Martin won't inhibit the club fitting a big-name recruit into its salary cap.

With Martin finally signing a seven-year deal reportedly worth somewhere between $1.2 to $1.3 million a season, that contract takes a sizable chunk out of the Tigers' $12.45 million salary cap.

With skipper Trent Cotchin, All Australian defender Alex Rance, dual Coleman medallist Jack Riewoldt and former Sun Dion Prestia all on lucrative deals, Richmond list manager Dan Richardson believes the Tigers can still attract a big fish to Punt Road.

"We're confident we can retain all the players we want to retain and, at the appropriate time, strengthen our list should the opportunity arise," Richardson told SEN on Friday.

"The age of free agency makes the challenge of managing your list more dynamic, even though it always has been.

"But we certainly feel we're building a strong, young list, and we certainly wouldn't make any decisions around one player that would compromise that."

Richardson was central to the drawn-out negotiations with Martin's manager Ralph Carr, but he believes discussions like that will become common place in the AFL.

While the Tigers were always confident they'd retain the Brownlow Medal favourite's services, he said it was a huge relief when they received the news Thursday afternoon Martin that Martin would be a Tiger for life.

"It certainly took a while this one," Richardson said.

"I don't know how many meetings we had between myself, (Neil Balme) and Ralph.

"With the age of free agency, we all probably need to get used to it.

"It will happen more and more often, and whether we like or not, free agency is here to stay.

"It certainly brings challenges for a club to retain star players but it also brings opportunities bring in new ones."

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-09-01/dusty-deal-wont-stop-tigers-retaining-talent

[Chuck17]

Dusty deal won't stop Tigers retaining talent or lack of talent

efa

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Richmond insists Dustin Martin contract won't clog salary cap

Jon Pierik
The Age
1 September 2017

Gale said on Friday the Tigers would have room to move should talent become available.

"It's solid – we would never make a decision that we felt would compromise our ability to reward and retain our current players and also attract new players," he said.

"That's part of the responsibility. We have a responsibility to Dustin, we have got no interest in underpaying him but we can't overpay either. We want to pay him his fair market value but we have also got a responsibility to surround him with the best possible environment for all of our players to be as good as they can be and achieve the ultimate success."

One list manager from a rival club said most clubs shared 50 per cent of their salary cap – about $5 million – between their best 10 or dozen players, questioning the negative impact Martin's huge salary could have on the Tigers and their ability to retain elite talent.

Martin's decision to re-sign will mean the Tigers are a "destination" club, for they are expected to continue to be a finals-bound side in the near future.

"We'll always be active [in trade period]," Gale said. "There will always be opportunities that will arise from time to time. We go into the national draft with two first-round draft picks at this stage as well, so I think we are really well placed."

While Gale said the Tigers wouldn't have any issues with Martin's contract, it should be remembered that the Swans were forced to shed players when they signed Lance Franklin to his nine-year, $10 million deal.

https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/sport/afl/richmond-insists-dustin-martin-contract-wont-clog-salary-cap-20170901-gy8mla.html