Richmond need to finalise an offer for Dustin Martin and not baulk, writes Mark Robinson
IS Dusty bluffing or is it only about the money? MARK ROBINSON says the Richmond should consider shedding the good guy tag in their chase of Dustin Martin’s signature.
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RICHMOND can be the good guy or the bad guy with Dustin Martin.
Right now, it’s the good guy.
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The Tigers’ response to questions about whether Martin’s manager Ralph Carr is shopping around their best player and prized restricted free agent is met with polite shrugs of the shoulders.
“We’re happy with where’s it at,’’ is coach Damien Hardwick’s stock answer.
Tigers fans might beg to differ. These tortured souls — and we all know one — would need professional counselling if Martin upped and left.
In the meantime, these news articles about monster deals offered — or ones that will be offered — to Martin would make them incredibly uneasy.
Right now, the Tigers have no alternative other than being the good guys.
Carr is doing his job to land Martin the best possible deal. That’s free agency. That Richmond hates Carr doing his job is beside the point.
The fact is Martin is gettable under AFL rules and North Melbourne, St Kilda and Essendon, among other clubs, are working out how much they can offer him.
Estimated figures put it between $1 million and $1.3 million per season.
It’s all looking hunky dory for Martin.
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But looks aren’t everything, for Martin will soon enough have to make a decision: Stay or go.
Is he bluffing or is it only about the money?
The Tigers should soon consider shedding the good guy tag.
Their initial offer to Martin was five years at about $825,000 per season.
The salary cap hikes to $12 million-plus in 2017, so it’s fair to suggest, with what other clubs are dabbling and how well Martin has played this year, he will be a million-dollar player in 2018.
Six players were paid more than a $1 million in 2016. That number would probably double in 2018 and if you think Martin is a top-10 player in the competition, then it’s probably right he joins the millionaire’s club.
Still, Richmond can’t be dictated to by Carr and opposition clubs.
The Tigers need to be firm with Martin and Martin has to be fair with the Tigers.
Richmond need to finalise an offer for Martin, if they haven’t already, and not baulk on it.
If it’s five years at a $1 million per season — plus incremental increases — then, Dusty, take it or leave it.
Chief executive Brendon Gale and list manager Dan Richardson cannot compromise the club’s total player payments because of one player, free agent or not.
If he did leave, the Tigers would get a compensation pick.
If Martin wanted out and the Tigers matched the offer or bluffed to match the offer, then, say, Essendon, would have to trade to get him.
Geelong and Adelaide did that for Patrick Dangerfield. Dangerfield wanted to go and the Crows could’ve easily matched Geelong’s offer, but both teams worked together. The Cats gave up picks No.9 and No.28 and young midfielder Dean Gore and the Cats gained Dangerfield and Adelaide’s third-round draft pick.
Either way, the Tigers must play hardball.
Confidence is high at the club Martin will stay, but if does leave, it won’t meaning locking up the joint.
Ablett, Franklin and Dangerfield all departed their football clubs and, surprise surprise, the football clubs didn’t crumble.
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In fact, Geelong and Hawthorn won flags the years after Ablett and Franklin flew interstate.
Make no mistake, Richmond’s offer will be bountiful.
It won’t be as much as what other clubs offer and therein is when we learn what Martin is made of.
Every player has the right to earn as much as he can, but what price does Martin put on what the club has already done for him?
We don’t need to go into details about the chop stick business, or exactly what happened when he missed training after the prescription sleeping pill mess, but the Tigers put an arm around him.
How much do you put on personal development? What price relationship development?
Martin knows what the club has done and this week in a Facebook interview with Dane Swan — called Sportsmate Footy Live — Martin said the club had also been “great’’ in respect to allowing him to visit his father in New Zealand.
Being best mates and while playing a game of pool at Luna Park, Swan drew from Martin in a rare interview what others can’t.
Asked if he was happy, because he seemed happy, Martin said: “It’s a great club, I’ve got a lot close mates there and I’m really enjoying it.’’
About free agency, Martin said: “It’s a unique position to be in, free agency. I’m happy the way I’m going at the moment. I’ll deal with it at the end of the season.’’
Martin even joked about Swan coming out of retirement and “joining the Tiges’’ in 2018.
To be fair, Martin also joked about joining Collingwood if Swan returned home, so stop getting excited Tigers fans.
It was fun banter between the two mates.
It remains to be seen, however, if it will be fun banter when Martin, Carr and Richmond get down to talk numbers.
Richmond won’t be and can’t be the good guys then.
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