Inside story: Mark Ricciuto and Ralph Carr detail Adelaide’s big bid for Richmond star Dustin Martin in 2017
How hard did Adelaide go for Dustin Martin during the 2017 season? The Crows had just lost Patrick Dangerfield and went deep into the bank balance to find a replacement superstar. But did he ever consider the move?
AFL News
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Dustin Martin’s manager says Adelaide was a serious contender for the signature of the now three-time Norm Smith Medallist when he contemplated leaving Richmond in 2017, with the Crows matching North Melbourne’s mega offer to the superstar.
After Adelaide football director Mark Ricciuto revealed how the Crows made a big play for the Tigers superstar, Martin’s manager Ralph Carr told The Advertiser ‘Dusty’ was open to a move to South Australia.
After knocking back a mega-offer of $11 million over seven years from North Melbourne ahead of the 2017 Grand Final, Martin inspired Richmond to a crushing win over the Crows at the MCG winning the first of a now-record three Norm Smith medals.
Kayo is your ticket to the best sport streaming Live & On-Demand. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >
But after his incredible display against Geelong in Saturday’s decider at the Gabba, Ricciuto has revealed how the Crows - which were minor premiers - made “probably the biggest offer” the club had put to any player to try and snare Martin.
“We had a genuine crack at him as a football club,” Ricciuto said on Triple M.
“His manager Ralph Carr was sort of putting it out there and seeing who would have a bid at him and we decided we would have a crack.
“We’d just lost Paddy Dangerfield who had just gone back to Geelong so it was a bit of a like for like.”
MORE TRADE
Collingwood could pay Adam Treloar to play for Gold Coast, but Suns need him to want to come
Moneyball column: All the latest AFL trade, draft, free agency and list news
Representatives from the Crows met Carr, with Martin, at his house in Melbourne.
Carr, who also represents Richmond premiership players Shai Bolton and Daniel Rioli, told The Advertiser Adelaide did have a serious crack at Martin, who entertained the offer.
“Very hard …I must say the Adelaide Football Club were incredibly professional, diligent and confidential with the discussions and meetings that took place,” he said.
“At that point yes (Martin was open to the possibility) as Dustin wanted to secure his future long-term.”
Ricciuto said the Crows made a big offer to Martin, in fact “probably the biggest offer the Adelaide Football Club has put to anyone” and he believed Adelaide was in the final three contenders for the Tigers superstars’ signature.
Carr told The Advertiser this was the case.
“Yes along with Richmond and North Melbourne,” he said.
“Mark (Ricciuto) is very respected over here.
“The decision was made from memory directly after the last home game of 2017.”
On Tuesday Carr said on SEN Adelaide had matched the Kangaroo’s mega offer to try and get Martin.
“It was $11 million over seven years, yes they matched that offer,” he said.
“Mark Ricciuto came down to see me and they matched that offer and then we took less than that to stay at Richmond.
“I gave him the equation of what we could make outside of football and I thought Richmond were the better club and able to take him where he wanted to go.”
Ricciuto said he was even preparing to travel to New Zealand to meet Martin’s father Shane, who was deported there in 2016.
“The lengths we were prepared to go to, I actually got my passport changed to go and see his old man in New Zealand,” Ricciuto said.
“I don’t know what it was going to achieve but I was going to show him and his old man that that’s how serious we were.”
Martin, who also won the Brownlow in 2017 in one of the greatest individual seasons in AFL history, has now won three premierships and three Norm Smith’s in a Richmond ‘dynasty’.
The Crows on the other hand, have not played finals since and are deep into a big rebuild.
“I was saying come to Adelaide you’ll win this and create a dynasty and all that,” Ricciuto said.
“But turns out we’ve had egg on our face with that and Richmond has been the ones that have gone on and we have gone the other way.”
MORE AFL NEWS
AFL Grand Final 2020: Jayden Short was handed a watch by Richmond fan after the siren
From cheers to beers: How Richmond celebrated its third flag win in four years
AFL Grand Final eclipses NRL rivals in TV ratings but what does it mean for night-time slot?
Adelaide great Tony Modra fumes at WWE wrestler’s ‘disrespectful’ use of his name