Beware of the Tiger King: Richmond expecting Dusty responseThe Tigers are hoping to see Dustin Martin bounce back to his best in 2023
By AAP
5 December 2022RICHMOND boss Brendon Gale expects to see superstar Dustin Martin back at his brilliant best next year as the Tigers seek to atone for an "uncharacteristic" campaign.
Martin managed just nine games last season as an inconsistent Richmond clawed its way into the finals, only to be eliminated in week one.
The Tigers have loaded up again for 2023, with the acquisition of boom recruits Tim Taranto and Jacob Hopper laying bare their premiership ambition.
And a fit-again Martin is crucial to the plan.
The 31-year-old joined his teammates for pre-season training at Punt Road on Monday, eager to build a strong platform over summer.
"He's an impeccably well prepared athlete," Richmond CEO Gale said.
"A lot of people probably wouldn't get that impression, but he is. He's really finely tuned and he's really, really proud.
"He's played at a very, very high level for a long time and that's not going to continue forever, but he's still got a very, very important role to play at our football club.
"He's well supported and we expect him to respond this year."
Martin has been through a turbulent 18 months on and off the field.
His father Shane died last December and the superstar went through a lengthy rehabilitation from a lacerated kidney, which ended his 2021 season early.
Martin spent six weeks' personal leave away from Richmond early last season and missed another seven games while sidelined by hamstring injuries at the end of the home and away campaign.
Post-season speculation the Tigers' talisman would leave the club with two years left on his contract was ultimately put to bed.
"He had a really tough year, coming back from a fairly significant injury to start with, and the tragic loss of his father," Gale said.
"He's been training pretty hard, he's been away up north, and he's been doing a fair bit of boxing away from the club.
"He's a proud athlete and he's a proud man and he'll look forward to getting back in the swing of things, that's for sure."
Dustin Martin and Jack Riewoldt at Richmond training on December 5, 2022. Picture: AFL Photoshttps://www.afl.com.au/news/870827/beware-of-the-tiger-king-richmond-expecting-dusty-response