Father of Dusty Martin reveals why son turned down whopping AFL dealBy Zoe Zaczek
For Daily Mail Australia
Ex-bikie father of AFL superstar Dusty Martin reveals why his son turned down the biggest contract in the league's history - and says he was too drunk to join in on early negotiations
Dustin Martin's father has revealed how his son battled contract negotiations
Shane Martin has released book which details his relationship with AFL star son
Shane writes that the Richmond boss came to visit him in New Zealand in 2017
Former bikie admitted he was too drunk to meet with Neil Balme to talk business
Dustin was offered a whopping $12million over seven years by North Melbourne
Updated: 11:54 AEDT, 2 April 2019Shane Martin, who was deported from Australia in 2016, has admitted in a new book that he was too drunk to help his son negotiate contract deals with Richmond Tigers and North Melbourne.
The former Rebels bikie gang member, who lives in New Zealand, was paid a visit by Richmond boss Neil Balme as the season edged towards a close in August 2017.
Dustin has won the Brownlow Medal as the AFL's best player and a premiership in his impressive career with Richmond.
Mr Balme wanted to secure Dustin for the next season despite North Melbourne throwing exorbitant amounts of cash in his direction, Fox Sports reported.
'I was on the pee,' Shane writes about Mr Balme's visit to New Zealand in book A Rebel In Exile.
'This is going to sound like I was choosing getting on the booze over this huge decision, but it wasn't like that at all.'
Shane explained he had settled in to watch Floyd Mayweather's fight against Conor McGregor and if he was given more notice he would have invited Mr Balme around in a 'heartbeat'.
'I wasn't going to a meeting like that half-cut. That would be crazy,' he wrote.
But Mr Balme returned to Melbourne without meeting Shane and Dustin was left to battle one of the biggest decisions of his career.
Dustin then visited his father in Auckland and the pair, along with his manager Ralph Carr, weighed up the two contract offerings on a whiteboard.
Shane admitted his son (right in Bonds campaign) struggled to decide between Richmond and North Melbourne
Shane revealed that North Melbourne was offering Dustin $12million over seven years while Richmond were only able to offer just under $10million.
The decision-making went back and forth and the father and son understood that Richmond were desperately keen to keep the Brownlow medalist despite being unable to match North Melbourne.
'People have asked me what side I was on and my answer is always the same: I was on Dusty's side … in the end, Dusty couldn't leave Richmond, and he turned his back on the richest contract offer in AFL history. I was proud of his decision,' Shane wrote.
Based on Shane's revelation, Dustin would have been earning just under $2million per year if he signed with North Melbourne.
Only six AFL players are understood to have made over a million in the 2018 season, including Sydney Swans star Buddy Franklin who signed a nine-year, $10million deal.
A Rebel In Exile details Shane's experiences in one of Australia's most notorious bikie gangs, his deportation from Australia and his family relationships - most notably with AFL superstar Dustin.
Shane also documented the time his 27-year-old son asked him for help with a mental health struggle
'Dad, I'm getting bad anxiety, I need to get help. Can you come with me to the doctor?' Dustin said, Shane wrote in an extract of his book published in The Herald Sun.
While Shane told Dustin 'of course' he'll come, Dustin responded by asking his father to keep his revelation private.
Dustin was prescribed medication to treat anxiety and depression, which did not alter his ability to play football but actually made his life much easier.
'Depression and anxiety are pretty common as I discovered. Dusty now knows it's nothing to be ashamed of,' Shane wrote.
Dustin has won the Brownlow Medal as the AFL's best player and a premiership in his impressive career with Richmond.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6874803/Bikie-father-AFL-star-Dusty-Martin-reveals-turned-biggest-contract-history.html
