AFL 2023: Dustin Martin meeting with Damien Hardwick no issue for Richmond

A key Richmond figure has weighed in on the meeting between Dustin Martin and Damien Hardwick that has reignited talk of a move north.

Richmond football boss Neil Balme is adamant Dustin Martin will remain at Punt Road next season. Picture: Daniel Pockett / Getty Images

Senior Richmond adviser Neil Balme is adamant Dustin Martin will remain at Punt Road despite clear interest from Gold Coast and his former mentor Damien Hardwick.

Martin was spotted catching up with Hardwick last week while holidaying on the Gold Coast, adding fuel to the rumours the triple Norm Smith medallist is seriously considering leaving the Tigers to reunite with his premiership coach.

While he had no doubt Hardwick would have asked Martin to join him at the Suns, Balme said the 32-year-old was not interested in finishing his career at another club.

“Of course he would have, he’d be mad if he didn’t (ask), ‘any chance at all’?” Balme told SEN when asked if he thought Hardwick would have pitched the Richmond champion on moving north.

Richmond is confident Dustin Martin will stay at the club. Picture: Sarah Reed / Getty Images

“I thought (the pair catching up) was wonderful. Why wouldn’t he? He coached him for how long and they did all the things together.

“It gave you blokes something to talk about that he must be going there to play, which is not true, I can guarantee you.”

Martin still had strong social connections at Richmond despite the recent retirements of his closest teammates Trent Cotchin and Jack Riewoldt, Balme said.

“But if you know ‘Duz’, you’ll know that’s not what he’s like. At this stage he doesn’t want to go and meet a whole bunch of new people and fit into a new team,” he said.

“He’s had a wonderful time at Richmond and we’re pretty confident he’ll spend his footy years at the Tigers.”

Hardwick has already been able to poach former Tigers analyst Hayden Hill and premiership player Shaun Grigg to join his coaching team at the Suns, with Geelong releasing Grigg from the final year of his contract on Monday to facilitate the move.

Damien Hardwick has successfully lured Shaun Grigg (right) from his assistant coaching job at Geelong to take up a role on his staff at Gold Coast. Picture: Michael Dodge / Getty Images

Grigg was a premiership assistant coach at Geelong, spending four years at the club after retiring from Richmond midway through the 2019 season.

Other clubs also swung changes to their coaching staff on Monday, with North Melbourne parting ways with senior assistant John Blakey and development coach Gavin Brown.

“After conversations with Blakes and Browny, we have agreed to mutually part ways,” Roos football boss Todd Viney said.

“These decisions are never taken lightly, but the time is right for all parties to move forward in new directions.”

Western Bulldogs said development coach Travis Varcoe would finish up at the club, joining other assistants Rohan Smith and Marc Webb in departing as the Dogs revamp their coaching support behind Luke Beveridge.