Dustin Martin [merged]

[one-eyed]

Tom Browne on 7news claims he spoke to Ralph Carr who said he's not going to give a running commentary but he's optimistic Dusty will be back soon and won't retire.

Go to 0.50 min mark: https://twitter.com/7NewsMelbourne/status/1514527522025009152

[Rampsation]

Im still hearing people who are in coteries at a couple of big melbourbe clubs saying he wants to finish his career in Sydney and get out of the melbourne fishbowl. Is it time to cash out or cash in?

[Andyy]

Im still hearing people who are in coteries at a couple of big melbourbe clubs saying he wants to finish his career in Sydney and get out of the melbourne fishbowl. Is it time to cash out or cash in?

Well if that's the case then as I said earlier we should be looking to maximise his trade value and target Green.

No hard feelings to Dusty and tbh I wouldn't blame him. Bloke can hardly fart without someone taking a effing photo of him.

[WilliamPowell]

Im still hearing people who are in coteries at a couple of big melbourbe clubs saying he wants to finish his career in Sydney and get out of the melbourne fishbowl. Is it time to cash out or cash in?

Coterie members from other clubs?  Seriously?

Like they'd know.

No disrespect Ramps. But I'd put no credence in what other club supporters think

Just like I gave no credence to a bloke who 3 weeks ago announced to a group of us that he'd be retiring the next Wednesday or Thursdsy. He had a reliable source he said. Guess what his reliable source was wrong.

End of the day none of us know. We just need to give the bloke time and respect his need for time. I don't think it is that hard.

[Tigeritis™©®]

This hiatus has been long enough.

Time to play now, he should at least be back by Anzac Day eve.

[Rampsation]

Im still hearing people who are in coteries at a couple of big melbourbe clubs saying he wants to finish his career in Sydney and get out of the melbourne fishbowl. Is it time to cash out or cash in?

Coterie members from other clubs?  Seriously?

Like they'd know.

No disrespect Ramps. But I'd put no credence in what other club supporters think

Just like I gave no credence to a bloke who 3 weeks ago announced to a group of us that he'd be retiring the next Wednesday or Thursdsy. He had a reliable source he said. Guess what his reliable source was wrong.

End of the day none of us know. We just need to give the bloke time and respect his need for time. I don't think it is that hard.

Coterie members from Collingwood and Essendon. I think maybe a few clubs have asked the quedtion about what ge wants to do and  as I said the people who told me said the same thing. Im just telling the forum what thry said.

[TigerLand]

I don't think dusty will finish up elsewhere. Full credit to Carr, Dusty is set up financially probably better than any player in history. He doesn't need a twilight career at a club and state away from home.

I'd believe more that he wants out of the fishbowl and retire.

[one-eyed]

A huge thanks to the AFL's Dustin Martin for his support of our program.

Dustin recently provided signed footballs for participants in our program to show his support of what our Mentors are doing for the mental health of young Australians.

#dustinmartin #AFL #Veteranmentors


https://twitter.com/VetMentorsAU/status/1516208285015105539

[pmac21]

Get well Dusty but I wouldn't mind knowing when or if he is coming back? 

[one-eyed]

Source totally unreliable but anyway:

Sign Dusty’s self-imposed break may be about to end

After weeks of speculation about his AFL career, Tigers superstar Dustin Martin has raised hopes he will soon make a comeback to Punt Rd.

Tony Sheahan
HeraldSun
April 19, 2022 - 7:54PM

AFL superstar Dustin Martin is back in Melbourne and training, with speculation he could soon return to the game.

Martin was spotted working out at a friend’s gym in Port Melbourne on Easter Monday, raising hopes he will soon make a comeback with the Tigers after a self-imposed break.

The triple premiership star’s last game was Richmond’s opening round clash with Carlton on March 17.

Days later coach Damian Hardwick revealed Martin needed time out to process personal issues, including the sudden death of his father Shane.

Friends of Martin said at the time, he even thought about retiring.

But it is understood the 261 game midfielder is considering joining teammates at Punt Rd as early as this week.

It is very unlikely Martin would be an option to play in Richmond’s Sunday night blockbuster against ladder leader and reigning premier Melbourne.

However friends of the 2017 Brownlow Medallist confirmed to the Herald Sun he wanted to play again soon and could participate in the club’s main training session this Thursday morning.

Whenever he returns, it will be an enormous boost for the Tigers who sit 11th on the ladder after two wins from the first five matches of the season.

It is believed Martin spent much of the last month in Sydney as he grieved the death of his father in New Zealand in December.

Richmond agreed to his request for time away, deeming it best for player and club, with Hardwick declaring last month: “He’s just taking some personal time at the moment’’.

“We’ll give him his time,’’ Hardwick said.

“He’s so important to the fabric of our footy club, we just want to make sure he’s OK and he’s getting what he needs.”

Martin shared a close bond with his father, who had ties to the Rebels motorcycle gang and was deported from Australia in 2016 on the grounds of bad character.

Shane Martin, who was 54 when he died, watched his son win the 2017 flag and Brownlow from New Zealand in 2019 and told the Herald Sun he dreamt of returning to Australia to watch his star son play again.

Martin told Fox Footy earlier this year it was also his dream to win another grand final with his father watching from the stands.

“I love my dad and he’s made me the man I am today,” Dustin said

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/dustin-martin-back-in-melbourne-after-taking-selfimposed-break-from-footy/news-story/889c23c05048c207ebdc9ebab2932080

[one-eyed]

Cotch said he has spoken via txt with Dusty. More in terms of a support angle and seeing if he "chugging" along ok. All we want is for Dusty to be healthy and happy and get back to the club as soon as he can.

Cotch also said he's never had any conversations with Dusty regarding moving to Sydney. He's a very loyal person. So Cotch would be shocked to see that be the scenario.

Tom Browne said 7news "understands" that a return this weekend is unlikely as Dusty still needs to visit NZ to attend to his dad's personal business.

https://twitter.com/7NewsMelbourne/status/1516701416941060104

[one-eyed]

Caro's info:

"Dusty has been in Sydney for a little while. He's back in Melbourne now. And it's as strong as I've heard that there's a very good chance that he will be back training over the next week. Can't confirm it but it's a very strong chance."

https://twitter.com/FootyonNine/status/1516769668110954503

[WilliamPowell]

Tony Sheahan is a disgrace who is onlywhere he is becauseof his surname and who his father is.

He is not a journalist.

If you want to know about his journalistic deeds then goggle him and you'll find out put why he was sacked from Ch7

Dusty will be back when he is ready 

[one-eyed]

'He's in a better space': Dusty back in town, but no timeframe on return

Dustin Martin has returned to Melbourne after spending time interstate, but the Tigers aren't rushing his return

By AAP
21 April 2022

RICHMOND coach Damien Hardwick says Dustin Martin is "in a better space" as the club holds hope the superstar will return from personal leave.

Martin has been away from the club since late last month and spent time in Sydney with the Tigers' blessing.

The triple Norm Smith medallist has since returned to Melbourne, fuelling hope a playing return might not be too far away.

But Richmond is still yet to put a specific timeline on the 30-year-old's return to action.

"We're reluctant to provide a running commentary but what we do know is he's in a better space," Hardwick said.

"When we know more we certainly will give you guys more information but at this stage it's the same as it has been."

Martin is mourning the loss of his father, Shane, who died in New Zealand in December.

A fortnight ago, Richmond senior adviser Neil Balme insisted Martin had not played his last game for the club, declaring the midfielder's return was "just a matter of when".

https://www.afl.com.au/news/745414/-he-s-in-a-better-space-dusty-back-in-town-but-no-timeframe-on-return

[one-eyed]

‘Hasn’t crossed my mind’: Tigers champ rallies behind Dusty with heartfelt text

Ben Cotton
Fox Sports
April 21st, 2022 8:31 pm

Richmond champion Jack Riewoldt says the possibility of Dustin Martin not returning to football ‘hasn’t crossed his mind’.

Martin last month took indefinite personal leave from the Tigers, prompting questions around his future in football despite being contracted until 2024.

But recent reports stated the three-time Norm Smith medallist could return to the club as early as this week and rejoin his teammates on the training track.

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick confirmed on Thursday Martin was “in a better space,” but reaffirmed the club’s reluctance to provide a running commentary on the matter.

“When we know more we certainly will give you guys more information but at this stage it’s the same as it has been,” Hardwick said.

“We ask you to respect his privacy and we will continue to monitor the situation and give information as it becomes available.”

Asked on Fox Footy’s AFL 360 on Thursday night if he’s worried Martin might not come back to Tigerland, Riewoldt said: “Nah, not at the moment. It hasn’t crossed my mind that he won’t come back, because I haven’t thought about it.

“All I think about is texting him saying, ‘mate, hope you’re going alright. Just know that the boys are back here thinking of you.’”

It comes ahead of Richmond’s huge Anzac Day Eve clash against Melbourne on Sunday night as the 2-3 Tigers look to bounce back from last week’s loss to Adelaide against the very best.

Riewoldt said it was clear arriving to the club on Thursday with media surrounding it that something was brewing.

“The jungle drums are beating... so in the first time since Dustin has left, we’ve got the media in the car park with cameras trying to get that first shot of him coming back to the football club.

“As Damien just spoke about, we respect his privacy and we first and foremost put his health and his mental health ahead of everything. But we’d love to see him walk through the doors tomorrow.”

Riewoldt added that that Martin would face ongoing issues even if he returns to football.

“It’s not to say that he’s going to come back and be 100 per cent right to go, fit and firing and all that sort of stuff. He’s still going to have his challenges over the next years, over the next decades,” he said.

“His father was taken before his time and he hadn’t seen him for a long time, so there’s still going to be a few bridges to cross for Dustin.”

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/teams/richmond-tigers/afl-2022-jack-riewoldt-speaks-on-dustin-martin-updates-personal-leave-return-to-richmond-tigers-training-father-shane-death/news-story/36c09dd0acfdcb268f9dbee1bc258a99