Player Watch #4 Dustin Martin

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Why isnt that campaigner corn on Boaks back to retire, I'm sick of him targeting Richmond players

Dusty no hunger and should retire according to Kane Toad. He's achieved everything there is to achieve in the game.

Boak no medals no flags no Grand Finals 3 years older than Dusty should keep going. He is hungry according to Kane Toad.

How does the guy with no hunger achieve all that and the hungry guy doesn't achieve anything? Makes about as much sense as letting your fat aunty kiss you in front of your mates.
 
Considering cotchy called journalists not once but twice ‘w***ers’ at my son’s school sportsman’s night many years ago, I’m really disappointed he’d stoop to their level by making that Dusty/Bakes comment.
Bloody Hypocrite.
 

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Considering cotchy called journalists not once but twice ‘w***ers’ at my son’s school sportsman’s night many years ago, I’m really disappointed he’d stoop to their level by making that Dusty/Bakes comment.
Bloody Hypocrite.
Sadly its the gold standard these days.
Won't make it unless you generate clicks.
 
I heard the Yze comments as basically a veiled acknowledgement that Dusty was still carrying a bit of an injury. And that moving him into the midfield the week before we have a bye was an unnecessary risk to his next month or so of footy, possibly longer.

I suspect he's in cotton wool to an extent until he gets to his 300 games. Wise.
Feels like all our players always have some kind of hidden injury they're playing with.
 
Considering cotchy called journalists not once but twice ‘w***ers’ at my son’s school sportsman’s night many years ago, I’m really disappointed he’d stoop to their level by making that Dusty/Bakes comment.
Bloody Hypocrite.
His Mrs has expensive taste, need to keep bringing the $ in.
 
Considering cotchy called journalists not once but twice ‘w***ers’ at my son’s school sportsman’s night many years ago, I’m really disappointed he’d stoop to their level by making that Dusty/Bakes comment.
Bloody Hypocrite.
Cotchin has always been about self promotion sadly...
He has hang around Ben Crowe too long
 
His Mrs has expensive taste, need to keep bringing the $ in.
Left Posisock
I believe that one of them, if not both

Right Posisock
will not be in Richmond colours next year
 
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“I never said I want to be alone. I only said ‘I want to be let alone.’ There is all the difference.”
Reclusive movie star Greta Garbo, 1955.

Dustin Martin’s desire to be left alone, in the manner of Greta Garbo, has been as defining a feature of his career as the fend-off, which is a well-worn, but fitting metaphor for Dusty’s aversion to the crowd.

Richmond champion Dustin Martin: will he change his colours?

Richmond champion Dustin Martin: will he change his colours?CREDIT:ARTWORK: MONIQUE WESTERMANN

Martin’s extreme shyness and dislike of the spotlight – bar his glowing presence on game day – is one of the reasons why there’s been a view in clubland that he could be prised out of Richmond.

Martin’s seven-year mega contract expires this year. Richmond have not put a contract on the table, in large part because Dusty hasn’t made any decisions about his future.

Martin has three immediate options: 1) Re-sign with the Tigers for 2025 and play on; 2) cross to another club, almost certainly in the northern states; 3) retire, after reaching 300 games and be remembered as a one-club great of the code.

Since 2022, if not earlier, Gold Coast have been mooted as the logical destination for Dusty if he decided he wanted out of town.

Note that there’s never been any hint that Dusty had any issue with the Richmond Football Club. Rather, it’s whether he’s had enough of living in the footy fishbowl in Melbourne.

The argument for Dusty exploring a move to the Suns has centred on the fact that they’re a getaway club, where AFL isn’t obsessively followed and even a high-vis superstar can find sanctuary, like Garbo.

The Suns also have significant ex-Richmond people at the helm, headed by former coach Damien Hardwick, with football bosses Wayne Campbell (performance) and Craig Cameron (list/recruitment) also knowing Martin well from their days at Tigerland.

That Martin has had contact with Gold Coast officials is hardly surprising, given the longstanding relationships.
But what is often lost in this discussion and speculation is whether, in fact, the Suns really need Dustin Martin.
They don’t.

For a number of reasons, the Suns should not pursue Dusty, should he decide he wants to leave Victoria. He’s not the right fit. To stick with the movie star motif, it would be like casting Arnold Schwarzenegger as Hamlet.

Martin would be turning 34 next year and while he would certainly improve the Suns’ forward line for a year – assuming he is relatively fit and motivated – it would represent an extremely short-term move for Hardwick and company.

Gold Coast have one of the best lists of under 24-year-olds in the competition. But their peak contention period is still at least two years away (probably longer, considering the demography of recent premiers).

Dusty is unlikely to come cheap, either. He’s been paid well over $1 million since 2018 and even if he came for, say, $700,000, that money would be better utilised in the crucial task of retaining Matt Rowell, Ben King, Noah Anderson and others.

Hardwick aside, Martin would be the biggest figure to arrive at Gold Coast since Gary Ablett. Unlike Ablett, Dusty would not be willing to front the media or sell the club.

His sheer presence, however, would bring additional media to the Suns, which the AFL wouldn’t mind.

The Suns, though, have just brought in four teenage locals via their academy – headed by the enormously talented talls Jed Walter and Ethan Read. Once those kids mature, they can be the shopfront – Gold Coast’s answer to Errol Gulden and Isaac Heeney – in a non-footy market that has struggled to support elite sporting clubs.

While Martin would engender excitement among young Suns teammates, and he is capable of mentoring, he does not represent the kind of on-field general and leader that four-time Hawthorn premiership great Luke Hodge was at the Brisbane Lions.

As it stands today, the Suns are unsure of whether to make a bid for Dusty, who has struggled with his body at times this year, missing games and some training sessions. Is he there in spirit? It’s a reasonable question.

There is no question that the death of his father Shane in 2022, who had been exiled from his son in New Zealand, was an enormous blow to the reticent champion.

He would suit the Swans or Giants more than Gold Coast, in terms of age and premiership profile and positional needs (he could take Heeney’s old forward role at Sydney), but one doubts that the Giants would have the cap space, and it is unclear whether the Swans would want such a short-term investment.

Martin’s shunning of the bright lights, paradoxically, has rendered him a mystery that merely heightened the public’s fascination with him – a conundrum that Greta Garbo endured. Almost every autograph seeker at Punt Rd wants Dusty’s scribble on their gear.

Richmond will offer him a decent deal, if he decides to play on with the club he helped transform and which is attempting a new frontier under Adem Yze and facing the expected exit of CEO Brendon Gale to the Tasmania Devils.

Like most football followers, this column would prefer that he bows out as a Tiger, rivalling Kevin Bartlett and Royce Hart for the mantle of Richmond’s greatest since World War Two.

Garbo’s wish sums up Martin’s relationship with the game. That he wants to be left alone does not mean that he is alone. Richmond have been another family.

Martin’s future is up to Martin. The Suns should just leave him alone.

Keep up to date with the best AFL coverage in the country. Sign up for the Real Footy newsletter.
 
View attachment 1965714

“I never said I want to be alone. I only said ‘I want to be let alone.’ There is all the difference.”
Reclusive movie star Greta Garbo, 1955.

Dustin Martin’s desire to be left alone, in the manner of Greta Garbo, has been as defining a feature of his career as the fend-off, which is a well-worn, but fitting metaphor for Dusty’s aversion to the crowd.

Richmond champion Dustin Martin: will he change his colours?

Richmond champion Dustin Martin: will he change his colours?CREDIT:ARTWORK: MONIQUE WESTERMANN

Martin’s extreme shyness and dislike of the spotlight – bar his glowing presence on game day – is one of the reasons why there’s been a view in clubland that he could be prised out of Richmond.

Martin’s seven-year mega contract expires this year. Richmond have not put a contract on the table, in large part because Dusty hasn’t made any decisions about his future.

Martin has three immediate options: 1) Re-sign with the Tigers for 2025 and play on; 2) cross to another club, almost certainly in the northern states; 3) retire, after reaching 300 games and be remembered as a one-club great of the code.

Since 2022, if not earlier, Gold Coast have been mooted as the logical destination for Dusty if he decided he wanted out of town.

Note that there’s never been any hint that Dusty had any issue with the Richmond Football Club. Rather, it’s whether he’s had enough of living in the footy fishbowl in Melbourne.

The argument for Dusty exploring a move to the Suns has centred on the fact that they’re a getaway club, where AFL isn’t obsessively followed and even a high-vis superstar can find sanctuary, like Garbo.

The Suns also have significant ex-Richmond people at the helm, headed by former coach Damien Hardwick, with football bosses Wayne Campbell (performance) and Craig Cameron (list/recruitment) also knowing Martin well from their days at Tigerland.

That Martin has had contact with Gold Coast officials is hardly surprising, given the longstanding relationships.
But what is often lost in this discussion and speculation is whether, in fact, the Suns really need Dustin Martin.
They don’t.

For a number of reasons, the Suns should not pursue Dusty, should he decide he wants to leave Victoria. He’s not the right fit. To stick with the movie star motif, it would be like casting Arnold Schwarzenegger as Hamlet.

Martin would be turning 34 next year and while he would certainly improve the Suns’ forward line for a year – assuming he is relatively fit and motivated – it would represent an extremely short-term move for Hardwick and company.

Gold Coast have one of the best lists of under 24-year-olds in the competition. But their peak contention period is still at least two years away (probably longer, considering the demography of recent premiers).

Dusty is unlikely to come cheap, either. He’s been paid well over $1 million since 2018 and even if he came for, say, $700,000, that money would be better utilised in the crucial task of retaining Matt Rowell, Ben King, Noah Anderson and others.

Hardwick aside, Martin would be the biggest figure to arrive at Gold Coast since Gary Ablett. Unlike Ablett, Dusty would not be willing to front the media or sell the club.

His sheer presence, however, would bring additional media to the Suns, which the AFL wouldn’t mind.

The Suns, though, have just brought in four teenage locals via their academy – headed by the enormously talented talls Jed Walter and Ethan Read. Once those kids mature, they can be the shopfront – Gold Coast’s answer to Errol Gulden and Isaac Heeney – in a non-footy market that has struggled to support elite sporting clubs.

While Martin would engender excitement among young Suns teammates, and he is capable of mentoring, he does not represent the kind of on-field general and leader that four-time Hawthorn premiership great Luke Hodge was at the Brisbane Lions.

As it stands today, the Suns are unsure of whether to make a bid for Dusty, who has struggled with his body at times this year, missing games and some training sessions. Is he there in spirit? It’s a reasonable question.

There is no question that the death of his father Shane in 2022, who had been exiled from his son in New Zealand, was an enormous blow to the reticent champion.

He would suit the Swans or Giants more than Gold Coast, in terms of age and premiership profile and positional needs (he could take Heeney’s old forward role at Sydney), but one doubts that the Giants would have the cap space, and it is unclear whether the Swans would want such a short-term investment.

Martin’s shunning of the bright lights, paradoxically, has rendered him a mystery that merely heightened the public’s fascination with him – a conundrum that Greta Garbo endured. Almost every autograph seeker at Punt Rd wants Dusty’s scribble on their gear.

Richmond will offer him a decent deal, if he decides to play on with the club he helped transform and which is attempting a new frontier under Adem Yze and facing the expected exit of CEO Brendon Gale to the Tasmania Devils.

Like most football followers, this column would prefer that he bows out as a Tiger, rivalling Kevin Bartlett and Royce Hart for the mantle of Richmond’s greatest since World War Two.

Garbo’s wish sums up Martin’s relationship with the game. That he wants to be left alone does not mean that he is alone. Richmond have been another family.

Martin’s future is up to Martin. The Suns should just leave him alone.

Keep up to date with the best AFL coverage in the country. Sign up for the Real Footy newsletter.
The extra $ to move, probably points towards him staying or retiring
As the article points out GC could use that $ on their gun kids. Sydney teams looking at longer term contracts to backend/ spread his salary
 

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He'll become just another drone like Richo
I have no pay TV so afl.com & free to air is what I see. I am a Front Bar fan cos Mick & Pang are funny. Running the new Talking Footy, after Front Bar makes sense. I watched it once.

Cotch speaks well, and on TV., during the finals, was a novelty. Talking Footy is not great for me. Will it survive? The idea of recently 2 retired captains is good. Watson I don't mind. Brayshaw's voice grates me. Don't like his voice on the cricket. Selwood I hated for club's eternal wood over RFC but his media commentary I dont mind.

Richos media work at RFC was great but gameday commentary isnt if Richmond are playing.

Jack R's game day commentary is fine.

Cotch is a wait and see. He's trying coaching too. he might move that way
 
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I have no pay TV so afl.com & free to air is what I see. I am a Front Bar fan cos Mick & Pang are funny. Running the new Talking Footy, after Front Bar makes sense. I watched it once.

Cotch speaks well, and on TV., during the finals, was a novelty. Talking Footy is not great for me. Will it survive? The idea of recently 2 retired captains is good. Watson I don't mind. Brayshaw's voice grates me. Don't like his voice on the cricket. Selwood I hated for club's eternal wood over RFC but his media commentary I dont mind.

Richos media work at RFC was great but gameday commentary isnt if Richmond are playing.

Jack R's game day commentary is fine.

Cotch is a wait and see. He's trying coaching too. he might move that way
Can see how oppo supporters would be shitty when Jacks commentating and they're playing Richmond. He can't hide the bias for the life of him.
 
You are not seeing my point on what I quoted you on. You blamed the club for poor culture if they put him up for trade , yet if he requests a trade bc he wants to move onto greener pastures or whatever then he’s a nice bloke . Are you getting it as he’s not being loyal ? So why should he be treated as a good bloke bc of his disloyalty ? That’s the analogy and comparison I was making to your bullshit line where you were claiming it to be destroying culture if they traded him out. The other thing is can you prove it that it actually will destroy the culture? It’s also not an end of lease ?or contract as we need to give him a new offer to start any negotiations off otherwise
If a player fails to qualify for free agency but is out of contract, they can only move clubs via trade or the draft. So he’s equally guilty of your crime suggested by the club bc he has the options not the club. If he tries to get a deal worth overs then he’s playing games and the club also has no choice, but to trade him out. It’s still on him how this pans out and not the club.
The club can be a bit negligent if they force a trade by trying to low ball him which won’t happen as we will have a heap of cap space. So in reality he’s the only party that can be disloyal and a culture breaker not the club as you’ve suggested.

What are we all on about? If he decides to leave for another club that isn’t disloyalty. He can do whatever the feck he wants. Does everyone who changes clubs of their own volition have the character trait of being a disloyal person? It’s a friggin ridiculous notion.

If Martin decides to play somewhere else it’ll
be because of any number of reasons … he isn’t happy any more, doesn’t like the coach, wants a new challenge, wants the chance of another flag, wants to live in a warmer climate, hates the Melbourne media focus etc….

He already turned his back on $2m to remain with Richmond 7-years ago… and now potentially people want him to remain again even if he’s not happy at the club, and if he decides to leave it’s showing disloyalty? Makes no sense.



Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com
 
What are we all on about? If he decides to leave for another club that isn’t disloyalty. He can do whatever the feck he wants. Does everyone who changes clubs of their own volition have the character trait of being a disloyal person? It’s a friggin ridiculous notion.

If Martin decides to play somewhere else it’ll
be because of any number of reasons … he isn’t happy any more, doesn’t like the coach, wants a new challenge, wants the chance of another flag, wants to live in a warmer climate, hates the Melbourne media focus etc….

He already turned his back on $2m to remain with Richmond 7-years ago… and now potentially people want him to remain again even if he’s not happy at the club, and if he decides to leave it’s showing disloyalty? Makes no sense.



Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com
We were talking about Baker . Follow the thread. 😜. It was done in reference to a poster stating it would be bad club culture if we put Baker up for trade. The reality is Baker controls that and not the club.
 
Cotchin has always been about self promotion sadly...
He has hang around Ben Crowe too long
Really, could have sworn he was the heart and soul of the club.

It's not disloyal to discuss the future of players at your club. Supporters, players, managers, everyone else and even Big Footy posters do it.
 
We were talking about Baker . Follow the thread. . It was done in reference to a poster stating it would be bad club culture if we put Baker up for trade. The reality is Baker controls that and not the club.

Oh sorry … had assumed it was Martin given it’s a Dustin Martin thread … but my point remains about Martin and the commentary surrounding him, and any of our players for that matter 🥸…. if they want out, then unless there are extraordinary circumstances we should support their wish and try to get the best deal for the club. If it doesn’t work out, then a great club culture simply overcomes that - eg. Tom Papley tried to get traded to Carlton a few years ago, but deal couldn’t get done and everyone moves on.


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com
 
Somebody should actually ask these Fu***t reporters

With the gold coast salary cap bulging along with the young talent needing salary increases
Who and how the hell are they going to fit $700k in their cap for Dusty
Because his high profile he would probably come under ambassador payments
Pretty sure even a portion of his salary with us was subsidised by the afl
 
I have no pay TV so afl.com & free to air is what I see. I am a Front Bar fan cos Mick & Pang are funny. Running the new Talking Footy, after Front Bar makes sense. I watched it once.

Cotch speaks well, and on TV., during the finals, was a novelty. Talking Footy is not great for me. Will it survive? The idea of recently 2 retired captains is good. Watson I don't mind. Brayshaw's voice grates me. Don't like his voice on the cricket. Selwood I hated for club's eternal wood over RFC but his media commentary I dont mind.

Richos media work at RFC was great but gameday commentary isnt if Richmond are playing.

Jack R's game day commentary is fine.

Cotch is a wait and see. He's trying coaching too. he might move that way
Jack R is an exceptional expert comments commentator
 

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