Ralph: Dusty will need a million a year to stay at RichmondBy Justin Talent
SEN
12 December 2016Star Tiger Dustin Martin will command at least a five year contract worth at least $5 million according to Jon Ralph, as the 2016 Richmond best and fairest winner looks to explore all of his contract options in 2017.
Ralph wrote in the Sunday Herald Sun that Martin, who is a restricted free agent at the end of next season, will not sign a new deal with the Tigers in the near future, preferring to explore all his options next year.
The football reporter, who also predicted that Adam Treloar and Jaeger O’Meara would move months before they departed their original clubs, says that while he considers this to be a move to inflate Martin’s value rather than a serious look at changing clubs, a long-winded contract saga is the last thing Richmond need.
This could force the Tigers into signing Martin as early as possible to a lucrative deal that would see him amongst the biggest earners in the AFL.
“I think he will still probably stay at Richmond but it will cost them a lot of money,” Ralph said on SEN Breakfast.
“Dustin will make them wait so they’ll probably have to sign a five year deal at about five million, maybe even six million to get it done early.
“I’m not sure that is what Richmond need right now. They need a nice orderly transition through to round one, where they can take on Carlton, beat them in round one and try and save Damien Hardwick’s coaching career.”
Ralph says that Martin would be worth every cent of a mega contract.
“He’s missed four games in seven seasons of football and two of them were suspensions,” he said.
“He’s versatile, he can play in the midfield, he can play as an isolated forward and we know he can play off half-back. All the headlines that surround him, he’s not the ratbag or the young immature boy that he once was…he’s 24 – that’s everything a list manager would want.”
Cameron Mooney disagreed, considering Martin’s value to be closer to $700,000 per year.
“He’s not a million dollar player,” the three-time premiership player said.
“I still think there’s baggage that goes with him. Whether it’s right or wrong, people just speculate there’s baggage going with him. In saying that, he’s a $700,000-plus player. He is a super player.”
Ralph considers that St. Kilda, Carlton and Adelaide are three clubs with the cash to pry away Martin from Richmond should he not sign a new contract before the end of next season.
The Saints and the Crows were linked to Martin this year, despite both clubs denying their interest in the 24-year-old. “They are clubs with massive salary cap room,” he said.
“We know there are clubs that have banked cash like St. Kilda (have) the inclination to go after star midfielders.
“They think they can get another eight years out of this bloke - he ticks a lot of boxes.”
Mooney considers it crucial that Richmond sign the restricted free agent as early as possible, despite having the ability to match any offer from another club.
“When it gets to a point where a player starts shopping round and another club comes and offers him $750,000 a year for five years, players just go ‘I’m gone’ and their mindset’s gone,” he said.
“It’s very hard for a club to stuff out $750,000 a year for five years to a player they know really doesn’t want to be there.
“He’s doing what most players will do now. They will have a look on the open market, bump their price up. I’m sure he would love to stay as a Richmond person, he’s been there since day dot, they’ve looked after him and helped him along the way but like any work place, you want to get what you can. He’s just going to push it as far as he can.”
https://www.sen.com.au/news/2016/12/11/ralph-dusty-will-need-a-million-a-year-to-stay-at-richmond/
