Moneyball: Adem Yze opens up on Richmond futures of Dustin Martin, Liam Baker
Amid ongoing speculation about Dustin Martin’s AFL future, Richmond coach Adem Yze says the Tigers champion has several years left at the top level.
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Richmond coach Adem Yze has declared Dustin Martin has “two or three years” left at the elite level as speculation persists about the Tigers champion’s future.
Martin’s management shot down suggestions he was considering retirement earlier this season and the 32-year-old has been linked with a move to the Gold Coast alongside former coach Damien Hardwick.
Yze said any discussions about Martin’s future at Punt Road would not take place until later this year.
Martin’s contract runs out at the end of 2024.
“I think for that type of player, I think he can play for another 2-3 years,” Martin told Channel 7.
“Based on the fact that he’s still got his power, he doesn’t lose 1v1s.
“The way that he feels like he’s impacting games can be a little bit different. His possession numbers will go down a little bit as he’s getting older, but to be able to go forward and hit the scoreboard – they have to play a really good defender on him. If he’s going to play that role, we can see a future in him for sure.”
Martin has averaged 18.6 disposals, 5.8 marks and 3.4 inside-50s from five matches this year.
“His lasting legacy at our footy club is obviously what he has done as a player, but for him to be able to help Shai (Bolton) develop and deal with expectation and high performance is going to be a part of his legacy,” Yze said.
“All of our younger players look up to him. They watch the way that he trains. He’s an amazing trainer. For him to be able to do that and obviously hopefully do that for a lot longer is going to be really important for us as a coaching staff, as well as our footy club.”
Yze said he had been mindful of not putting too much pressure on vice-captain Liam Baker as he weighs up offers to return to his native Western Australia.
“All I’ve spoken to him about is, I don’t want the weight of that expectation or that decision impacting on his footy,” he said.
“I want him to walk in and really enjoy his footy and to be fair, his last month has been terrific. We’re going to look at it later in the year and we’ve given him time, we don’t want him to rush this decision.”
— Tim Michell
NORTHERN STATE CLUBS RAISE MID-SEASON TRADE CONCERNS
Northern states clubs have pushed back on the AFL’s plans to introduce a mid-season trade period for next year.
But this masthead can reveal Brisbane and GWS Giants are among the clubs who have made it clear to league headquarters they strongly oppose the concept.
There are beliefs among the northern-states clubs a mid-season trade period would heavily favour Victorian clubs where the bulk of the AFL player pool stems.
The Lions have told AFL officials it would be much harder to attract mature-age players to Queensland in particular if they had to take their children out of school in the middle of the year.
The northern states clubs have predicted the bulk of the movement would flow into Victorian rivals rather than the other way around.
The Giants have also told the AFL the end-of-season two-week trade period in combination with the mid-season draft and supplemental selection period already meets clubs’ needs.
Players could also be stranded mid-season if their moves fall over, leaving them out in the cold with teammates or fans in the middle of the season.
Currently, clubs begin to meet potential recruiting targets in the mid-season bye period, but those talks may have to take place in the early rounds of the season if the mid-season trade period was introduced, ramping up demands on clubs.
The AFL is keen to introduce a mid-season trade period to allow clubs to top-up on specific player needs in the event of a string of injuries.
The AFL Players Association approved the plan as part of last year’s Collective Bargaining Agreement.
But clubs remain in the dark about the potential rules and regulations of a mid-season trade period, including any potential salary cap implications and restrictions around picks or ages of players.
There are also fears clubs at the bottom of the ladder could be targeted, making lesser sides weaker in the second half of the season.
The league has presented to clubs as part of the competitive balance review, which includes proposed changes to the end-of-season draft and trade periods.
The draft points system is set for an overhaul, but clubs are eager for any changes to be pushed back until next year.
Clubs have already planned around father-son and academy targets for this year and think changes this year could have a major impact on plans which have been in-train for 18 months.
Draft pick purchasing where clubs such as North Melbourne could absorb rivals’ salary cap pressure in return for early draft picks is also in the works.
FOUR VIC CLUBS LEAD CHASE FOR LIONS STAR
At least four Victorian clubs are lining up for Brisbane midfielder Hugh McCluggage as the Lions prepare to match any free agency bid which comes for the gun midfielder.
Collingwood, St Kilda, Essendon and Geelong are all circling the South Warrnambool product who will attract offers in the vicinity of $1.3 million to return home to Victoria.
The Saints want to be aggressive to attract top-line talent through free agency, while Collingwood also has salary cap room after repositioning their total player payments bill in recent years.
Geelong wants to add to its midfield stocks and Essendon coach Brad Scott has been clear he wants the Bombers to continue to scour the free agency pool.
But the Lions could scupper rivals’ efforts by matching a free agency bid which forces clubs to offer up picks in a trade to satisfy Brisbane.
Chris Fagan’s men would want multiple first-round picks in exchange for McCluggage or they would block the move.
It could mean McCluggage signs for two more years and then reconsider his future as an unrestricted free agent after 10 years service.
RESURGENT CAT KEEN TO STAY
Resurgent Cats free agent Brandan Parfitt is intent on staying Geelong even as he parks contract talks until later in the season.
Parfitt would be in demand if he chose to explore the market given his free agency status, age (26) and ball-winning ability averaging seven clearances in his first five games of the year.
Last year he had few suitors but was happy to stay put and benefited from a new mindset of working on his weaknesses rather than wondering why he was out of the side.
Patrick Dangerfield’s absence from the midfield for up to six weeks will give Parfitt and players including Tom Atkins a chance to get more centre square time.
Parfitt is in a long line of Cats players including Jack Henry, Tyson Stengle and Jake Kolodjashnij who are looking to win new contracts.
But as usual no one wants to leave the Cats as they surge into premiership contention on the back of their youngsters and star turns from Jeremy Cameron.
‘DISCO’ IN VOGUE
Simon Goodwin’s decision to turn defender Daniel Turner into a forward last week saw the young Demon score his first AFL Coaches’ Association votes in only his fourth game.
It might yet prove the catalyst behind a likely new deal for the 22-year-old known as ‘Disco’ who shone under the bright lights with three goals on Anzac Eve.
Turner’s current deal runs out at the end of this season, with Melbourne excited by what he can provide to a forward line which has been searching for a different look.
A mid-season draft pick in 2021, he has battled some injury issues, including a pre-season stress fracture of the femur.
The Demons have a good opinion of Turner’s talents, but given he has just returned from injury, the club will wait until he is a lock within the team before ramping up new contract talks.
If the former Albury product can continue his good form, the expectation is that a deal would come in the second half of the season as he looks to lock in a forward spot alongside newly re-signed Jacob van Rooyen, Bayley Fritsch and Harrison Petty.
It comes as ever-consistent Melbourne wingman Ed Langdon indicates he is keen to recommit to the club beyond the end of this season.
The Demons are also keen on locking Langdon away on a new deal.
Now in his fifth season with Melbourne, after five earlier ones at Fremantle, he showed again on Anzac Eve his importance to the club in his dynamic wing role.
He is developing a good wing partnership with first year Demon Caleb Windsor in 2024, while Lachie Hunter is edging closer to an AFL return after two 23-disposal VFL games following his pre-season calf injury.
LIONS YOUNG GUN SET TO BAULK AT MOVE
Brisbane free agent Jarrod Berry will stay at the Lions despite rival interest in the wingman and inside midfielder.
Amid speculation about whether he might want more time as a pure midfielder the Lions have offered him a new multi-year deal.
It is understood Berry has no intention of exploring rival offers and could sign that deal in coming weeks.
The competition for midfield spots will only get fiercer as Will Ashcroft returns from an ACL tear and the club drafts father-son Levi and academy prospect Sam Marshall.
But he is invested in the chase for a premiership and happy in Queensland.
Brisbane has squirrelled away cap space over recent years so has money to lock away its out-of-contract players.
BUCKS COULDN’T RIP RORY OUT OF THE CROWS
Former Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley has revealed he made annual, unsuccessful attempts to tempt Rory Sloane home to Victoria, but his loyalty to the Crows always won out.
Sloane retired a one-club player this week after 255 games and 16 seasons, due to a detached retina.
But Buckley said the Magpies tried to move heaven and earth to prise him out of Adelaide.
“He was a player that when we would have our list management meetings, it would nearly always be, ‘Rory Sloane, any chance?’ He was a player I would have loved to play with or coach,” Buckley said on SEN.
“I asked the question of our (list management) boys every year and when (former Crows coach Brenton Sanderson) came across after coaching at Adelaide I said, ‘what do you reckon, let’s work away and see if we can prise him out’.
“(But) he was committed, he was loyal, I loved the way he went about his footy.”
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