Mark Robinson: Why Dustin Martin’s looming Richmond return adds to the Michael Jordan comparison

Dustin Martin is getting closer to a Punt Road return but the question of when is far from the biggest when it comes to the superstar’s career, writes Mark Robinson.

It’s not too much of a stretch to say Dustin Martin is football’s Michael Jordan.

He may not be the greatest of all-time, as Jordan can lay claim to in his sport, but “Dusty” has similar playing characteristics — the confidence and application to become a stone cold killer in the games that matter.

Some athletes fear the moment — yet Jordan and Martin not only want it, they flourish in it. Hence their monumental standing in their chosen sports.

Is Martin the greatest all-time finals player? Without question.

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Dustin Martin with his late father, Shane Martin, during a visit to Auckland.

They are similar but different.

Jordan was a media darling and a corporate juggernaut, and his ivory white teeth were as synonymous as his poking tongue and fadeaway jumper from 16 feet. Everyone wanted to be like Mike.

Martin is a juggernaut, too. He makes more money off the field – which is north of a million bucks a year – than on it. But in contrast, he’s hardly the media pin-up guy.

In quite an incredible marketing feat, Martin has probably taken more money via endorsements than any other player in the history of the game without having to sell his soul to do it.

All the while, the media pack, for the most part, salivated after him.

Everyone has wanted a piece of Dusty.

To those who don’t know him, his brand is half football, quarter mystery and a quarter of being the son of a rebel … with a cause.

And he is loved. My god, the boy from Castlemaine is loved.

Michael Jordan celebrates an NBA playoff win with his late father, James, in 1993.

The similarities between Jordan and Martin go way beyond performance.

Martin, 30, is right now confronted with exactly what 30-year-old Jordan had to endure at the Chicago Bulls – the loss of his dad.

James Jordan was murdered on July 23, 1993, a month after Jordan won his third consecutive championship with the Bulls.

Consumed by grief and a lack of desire, Jordan retired in October ’93 to play baseball and, in late October, gave his first interview about his dad to, of course, the biggest media person in America, Oprah Winfrey.

Martin lost his dad, Shane, a week before last Christmas of a suspected heart attack.

Martin played in Round 1 before he took indefinite leave from Richmond, after grief and a lack of desire overcame him.

It has been an extremely troubling and challenging time for Martin.

His father was his best friend and people close to Martin say the reality of the loss eventually floored him almost three months after the event.

In recent weeks, confidantes have spoken to Martin about life being loaded with highs and lows, and how in any given life there has to be a capacity to pick yourself up after devastation and move on.

Dustin Martin plays against Carlton in round 1 this year before taking a break.

What Martin will endure is the fact that grief will never leave him.

For sure, he’s not the first person to lose a mother, father, son or daughter,

For understanding, I asked a mate to try to explain grief.

“Grief never leaves you,’’ my friend said. “I lost my wife, the mother of our son, a few years back and I still have the sadness. But despite that god-awful emptiness that overwhelms you at first, you learn to cope.

“While I think about her every day, I have learned to embrace that feeling because it places such a high value on the relationship we had.

“So in time I chose not to lock myself away. I chose not to cut myself off. Instead, I chose to get busy living.

“That is what my wife would have wanted. I know that because she told me before she died: ‘Get busy living and look after our son.’

“Part of that ‘getting busy’ – whether you like it or not – is getting back to work.

“And what comes as a surprise – more than you could imagine – is how the people around you help you on the way back. Work colleagues become friends and teammates become family.

“There is no blueprint for how to deal with losing a loved one. So I don’t know how you would cope as an AFL player, nor how you would cope in many other professions in life.

“But what I do know is that shutting yourself off will never bring a person back.”

Dustin Martin and Jack Riewoldt celebrate the 2020 grand final win over Geelong.

Martin has been on leave for a month and spent several weeks with family in Sydney.

This week, there’s been plenty of kite flying about a possible return to Punt Rd.

Herald Sun journalist Tony Sheahan speculated that Martin’s return could be imminent after Martin was spotted working out this week in a Melbourne gym.

Channel 9 journalist Caroline Wilson said this week: “It’s as strong as I’ve heard that there’s a very good chance he’ll be back training over the next week. I can’t confirm it, but that’s what I believe is a strong chance.”

Which means exactly what? That it’s all still guesswork.

Tigers coach Damien Hardwick was more concrete.

“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.”

Which means exactly what? Hardwick doesn’t know when Martin will return.

Teammate Jack Riewoldt told Fox Footy he’s been shooting texts to Martin and not getting replies.

Asked if he was worried Martin might not make it back to footy, 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.’’

The Tigers have been extremely respectful of Martin’s position, notwithstanding the fact they’d like to get an answer from Martin about his immediate future.

Popular opinion among Richmond people says Martin can take as much bereavement leave as he needs, but that can’t be the case.

Most employees might get a week or two off and anything after that would probably mean leave without pay.

Tom Brady changed teams late in life and is still plying his trade aged 44.

Then there’s the football component. The Tigers need Martin to play footy – their season sits 2-3 with a clash against reigning premier Melbourne on Sunday night.

But always the proviso is when Martin is ready. And that might not be too far away.

Martin and his manager Ralph Carr met for several hours on Thursday night and, kite-flying again, it’s looking increasingly likely Martin will return to Punt Rd as early as next week because people close to Martin say he has rediscovered his desire to play footy again.

Tellingly, Jordan returned to basketball, won three more championships, and played until he was 40.

Martin’s other sporting hero is NFL quarterback Tom Brady who is still playing at age 44.

As an aside, both of them left their teams, Chicago and New England, and finished their careers at Washington and Tampa Bay respectively.

Martin is still 30 and playing for another six or seven or seasons is not beyond him.

The next question in the fascinating career of Dustin Martin is not when he will return, it’s where he will play his footy after his current contract expires at the end of the 2024 season. If not sooner than that.

Originally published as Mark Robinson: Why Dustin Martin’s looming Richmond return adds to the Michael Jordan comparison