Dustin Martin [merged]

[one-eyed]

Could Suns even get Dusty deal done?

Gold Coast would be challenged in finding a satisfying trade deal for Dustin Martin even if they decided to make a concerted run at the triple Norm Smith Medallist.

Martin is considering his future and has told confidantes he might be ready for a change as he awaits a meeting on his future with manager Ralph Carr.

But the Suns have, at this stage, been lukewarm on a move, given they couldn’t pay his $1.3-4 million wage, he wouldn’t take a pay cut and Richmond wouldn’t contribute to a deal.

The Suns need to accumulate the points for rivals to bid on their trio of first-round academy selections as early as pick two (Jed Walter), pick 5 (Ethan Read) and pick 10 (Jake Rogers).

North Melbourne has always shown it is prepared to be faithful to its draft order when bidding on academy players so is a strong chance to call on Walter’s name at pick two.

So the Suns draft hand this year will be taken up, which means they might have to give up a future first-rounder for a player of Martin’s ilk.

https://www.codesports.com.au/afl/afl-trade-2023-all-the-latest-news-and-intel-ahead-of-the-exchange-period/news-story/165450c5abb77d3c6d855e14ddeb2cc4

[one-eyed]

DUSTY’S POST-SEASON TRIP SPARKS MORE SUNS CHATTER

After his side’s 2023 campaign ended in Round 24, Richmond superstar Dustin Martin has ventured to the Gold Coast … for a holiday.

And it appears the trip is about more than leisure after he was photographed meeting with incoming coach Damien Hardwick.

7NEWS posted photos of the pair meeting with Mitch Cleary saying the catch-up happened on Thursday afternoon.

“An interesting subplot (to the finals) as Dusty weighs up what comes next for him,” Cleary said.

“It is seen by the Suns that he will stay at Richmond but one to watch as the silly season begins to heat up on the back of the finals series.”

Herald Sun reporter Jon Ralph told Fox Footy that Martin was “very keen to explore” a move, but that the Suns were “yet to fall in love with that proposal.”

“Quite clearly under the salary cap he would have to take a significant pay cut or Richmond would have to pay some of that salary, that’s not going to happen.”

Former St Kilda star Leigh Montagna was another skeptical Martin’s catchup with Hardwick meant a move to the Suns was imminent.

“I don’t think so. It’s hard to decipher whether he’s meeting the Gold Coast Suns coach or meeting a mentor and a very good friend and someone he’s had so much success with, who he probably hasn’t seen since whenever Dimma left,” he said.

“I’m sure they enjoyed a few vodka lime sodas and just caught up. I don’t think he’ll end up on the Gold Coast.”

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/department-of-trade/afl-trade-news-rumours-whispers-2023-dustin-martin-gold-coast-suns-damien-hardwick-todd-goldstein-essendon/news-story/3cbcb1dc60bb591907648611eb3808a1

[one-eyed]

Dusty to the Suns is a hard no. Despite his meeting with Hardwick and his consideration to a fresh start it is too difficult. Richmond won’t trade him, Suns don’t have $1.4m in cap space and can’t find the picks. He knew it before he and Hardwick met up.

https://twitter.com/RalphyHeraldSun/status/1700040836132811236

[one-eyed]

Dusty 300 games+ as a Tiger. Take it to the bank.

https://twitter.com/_tigertime/status/1700081474123567225

[Tiger Khosh]

Hope he signs a new 2year deal next year too and retires a tiger.

[one-eyed]

As categoric as we've seen 👏

@tommorris32 has a declaration on Dustin Martin's future.

Watch here: https://twitter.com/1116sen/status/1700355212224209119


Spoiler: Dusty is not leaving.

[one-eyed]

"Dustin Martin caught up in crime spree"

That was the clickbait headline splashed on 7news tonight .



Reality:
Dusty lent his car to a mate. This mate then stupidly left the keys in the car at a service station while going inside the store to pay for the petrol. An opportunistic thief then pounced, stole the car and rammed a police vehicle 5 hours later.

Here it is:

https://twitter.com/7NewsMelbourne/status/1619954851458465798

‘Entitled’ thief jailed after stealing Dustin Martin’s luxury car.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/entitled-thief-jailed-after-stealing-dustin-martins-luxury-car/news-story/6d6e7371ed26e33a40fc3afd61dd5a31

[one-eyed]

“I CAN GUARANTEE YOU”: RICHMOND ONCE AGAIN BATS AWAY MARTIN SPECULATION

Andrew Slevison
SEN
12 September 2023

Richmond icon Neil Balme has again moved to pour cold water on any rumours linking Dustin Martin to a potential Gold Coast Suns move.

The Tigers champion was seen meeting with his three-time premiership coach Damien Hardwick while holidaying on the Gold Coast last week.

The image set tongues wagging with many jumping to the conclusion that Martin is considering a shift to play under Hardwick at the Suns.

However, senior club advisor Balme is not expecting the 32-year-old to up and leave Punt Road.

Asked on SEN’s Whateley what he thought of Martin catching up with his old mentor on the Gold Coast, Balme replied: “I thought it was wonderful.

“Why wouldn’t he? He coached him for how long and they did all the things together.

“It gave you blokes (the media) something to talk about that he must be going there to play, which is not true, I can guarantee you.”

Does Balme expect that Hardwick would have asked Martin if he’d like to play for the Suns?

“Of course he would have, he’d be mad if he didn’t, ‘any chance at all?’” Balme laughed.

“But if you know ‘Duz’ you’ll know that’s not what he’s like. At this stage he doesn’t want to go and meet a whole bunch of new people and fit into a new team.

“He’s had a wonderful time at Richmond and we’re pretty confident he’ll spend his footy years at the Tigers.”

There has been some alternative chatter floating about that Martin is intent on playing 300 games for the Tigers, but Balme does not believe he would be motivated by such a milestone.

“Knowing him he wouldn’t think about it much,” Balme said further.

“But he will reflect on it later and enjoy the things (he’s achieved) because he’s about tomorrow and playing again.

“He just likes playing and he doesn’t get engaged in all that other stuff all that much.”

Martin has played 289 games for Richmond and will become the seventh Tiger to reach 300 games midway through the 2024 season.

He remains contracted with the Tigers until the end of next year.

https://twitter.com/1116sen/status/1701393411369205985

[one-eyed]

"Dustin's going to stay at Richmond." - Hardwick

Damien Hardwick on:
- his meeting with Dustin Martin.
- catching up with Alex Rance on the Gold Coast.

Watch here: https://twitter.com/7AFL/status/1701926131903893561

[one-eyed]

Why Dusty is no chance to join Gold Coast next season

Sam McClure
The Age
September 14, 2023

Dustin Martin will see out his contract at Richmond in a bid to play his 300th game in yellow and black, but the three-time Norm Smith medallist remains open to finishing his career on the Gold Coast.

A Gold Coast source and a source close to Martin – speaking on condition of anonymity because of the confidentiality of the contracts – confirmed to this column that Martin told Gold Coast of his desire to remain at Punt Road next year after meeting coach Damien Hardwick and football boss Wayne Campbell at a Miami Beach bar last week. The same sources said he had not ruled out a move after his contract ends after next season.

Martin, who will go down as one of the – if not the – best Richmond players of all time, has been wrestling with his future for several months and has recently witnessed the departures of teammates and close friends Trent Cotchin and Jack Riewoldt.

“I think he is a passionate person. He loves his Richmond family, I think he would like to play 300 games but, again, no one gets to decide that, only he does,” Cotchin told The Age’s Jon Pierik on Wednesday.

His decision to stay at Richmond is multi-faceted.

Martin is a fiercely loyal person and, as a principle, is keen to fulfil the massive contract that he and the club agreed to in 2017, when he was being heavily courted by North Melbourne.

Second, the money remaining on his contract makes the prospect of a trade considerably difficult. Martin will be paid more than $1 million next year. If he were to request a trade north, the Suns would want a substantial portion of that – more than half – to be funded by the Tigers.

Third, Martin knows he can see out his contract, play his 300th game with Richmond (he currently sits on 289) and then reconsider his future at the Suns without the restrictions of an existing contract.

Martin’s manager Ralph Carr was contacted by this column but chose not to comment.

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/why-dusty-is-no-chance-to-join-gold-coast-next-season-20230913-p5e4cu.html

[Tiger Khosh]

Does anyone actually buy that the media know any sources close to dusty other than Ralph carr?

[Andyy]

Does anyone actually buy that the media know any sources close to dusty other than Ralph carr?

Blokes like Jack lol.

Carr would be a vault. Wouldn't give them a effing peep and that's why Dusty likes him and he's the perfect manager for our hero.

[camboon]

Hang on, these jurno’s all but guarantee Dusty was leaving Richmond for somewhere north of the border, surely they couldn't be wrong continuously for 2 years, now they will blame the victim and say he changed his mind,
Yep, Jurnos are on par with land rats, umpires and AFL management but not as low as politicians

[one-eyed]

The internet never forgets, Sam .



https://twitter.com/Jonesracing82/status/1702129686380490922

  

[Hard Roar Tiger]

The whole thing is made up.
Even the “confirmation” he was staying.
Remember, there are roughly 2 accredited media for every player in the afl.
Over 1500.
They sometimes have to do business with themselves.