Dusty wants a seven year contract from Richmond as talks heat upJake Niall
FOX SPORTS
August 10, 2017 6:06pmDUSTIN Martin has asked Richmond for a seven-year contract, which would see the superstar bound to the club until the end until the end of 2024.
The Tigers have increased their offer to Martin to more than a million dollars a season, but the length of tenure appears to be the main sticking point, with Martin’s management understood to have recently pushed for a seven-year term.
The Tigers have indicated a willingness to offer Martin six years and more than a million dollars, having raised their initial offer from more than $800,000 and at least four years.
While there has been speculation in AFL club circles of an imminent signing by the Brownlow Medal favourite, Martin’s manager Ralph Carr reiterated on Thursday that Martin would not make a decision until the end of the season.
“It’s going to happen at the end of the year,’’ said Carr, who would not comment on the length of Richmond’s offer or those from other clubs.
If the Tigers granted Martin – a restricted free agent – his request for a seven year deal, he would turn 33 midway through the last year of the contract.
Martin would still be considerably younger than Lance Franklin will be when his record-breaking nine year deal expires in 2022. Franklin will turn 35 in January of that season.
North Melbourne is a confirmed bidder for Martin, having offered him a long-term deal which could be significantly increased in the event that Greater Western Sydney’s Josh Kelly decides to spurn North’s massive nine year offer of close to $10m and stay with the Giants.
The Sydney teams have ruled themselves out of the bidding for Martin, while Hawthorn and Essendon, too, have decided not to pursue the superstar. Collingwood’s salary cap and positional needs make it highly unlikely to chase Martin, while Carlton and St Kilda have other priorities – including Kelly.
Martin is a short-priced favourite for the Brownlow Medal and leads a number of media awards. He has risen in stature to be rank – according to most experts - alongside Patrick Dangerfield and Franklin as the game’s best player.
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