‘Never any chance’: Dustin Martin’s shock overseas trip casts doubt on future

Questions have been raised about Dustin Martin’s future after the Richmond champion was “never any chance” of playing this week.

Dustin Martin’s future has once again been questioned. Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

Dustin Martin’s Richmond playing future has once again been dragged into question after the three-time Norm Smith Medallist only arrived back from New Zealand on Tuesday night.

Martin’s time in the yellow and black has been cast into doubt in recent months over questions of whether he’d even make his 300th game at the club, retire immediately after hitting the mark or continue his career, with links to reuniting with premiership coach Damien Hardwick at the Suns.

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While Martin hit his 300th game on June 15, he’s played just one game since with a troublesome back injury being blamed on his absence for the past three weeks.

Martin was ruled out of a third straight match against Port Adelaide on Saturday night with what Tigers coach Adem Yze called a “crook back”.

But 7News AFL reporter Mitch Cleary revealed Martin was never a chance of being selected this week as he travelled to New Zealand to visit family.

“He travelled there last week to visit family, missing the Tigers’ loss to the Giants,” Cleary said.

“He returned late on Tuesday night, meaning he was never any chance to prove his fitness from his ongoing back concern.”

Dustin Martin was never going to play against Port. Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

Rumours have swirled around the 33-year-old all season with the reclusive Martin not giving much away.

Martin has yet to recommit to the Tigers for 2025 with the belief he’ll head to the Gold Coast or retire all together.

Former Melbourne superstar David Schwarz declared it was “100 per cent” that Martin would head to the Gold Coast next year but as yet, nothing has been confirmed.

The reports led to veteran AFL reporter Caroline Wilson calling for the Suns to “grow up” and stop the pursuit of Martin.

“Damien, I reckon the more mature answer would have been ‘no — Dustin Martin is a champion, he is a 300 gamer, possibly Richmond’s greatest ever player, but he is not part of our future, and he should remain a Tiger’,” Wilson said on Nine’s Footy Classified.

“The Gold Coast have some brilliant players and their future are guys like Miller, Andrews, Rowell and Humphrey. They don’t need comments like that from their coach. They don’t need Dustin Martin to win a premiership.

“In your own words Damien, you have some wonderful new toys up there, get them going and let Dustin Martin remain a one-club player.”

But it hasn’t stopped the links.

The 2024 season has been an unmitigated disaster for the Tigers as the club look to rebuild after winning three premierships in four seasons between 2017 and 2020.

The Tigers are currently ranked 18th and last on the AFL ladder, equal with North Melbourne but with an inferior percentage.

Is this the last we’ll see of Dusty? Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

But Yze said he was hopeful of getting Martin back on the field before the end of the season.

“The main thing is just getting him back and playing one game, let alone for the rest of the season,” Yze said.

“We were hoping he was going to get up for training today, but his back’s a little bit grumble, so if we get him out there today he’s probably going to aggravate it again.

“It’s just easier for us to rule him out this week and try and get some training load in for the following week … you won’t see him out there (on Thursday).

“He’s got a crook back at the moment that spasms … if we try and push him through that, it could aggravate it again.”

Yze laughed when asked if he would try to stop Martin playing golf after he last week suggested the back issue could have stemmed from a problem with Martin’s swing.

“No, I haven’t (confiscated his clubs). That’s actually been very good for him for the last couple of years, taking up something outside of footy, and not only that but he connects with our players,” Yze said.

“He’s been able to play with Rhyan Mansell and some of our younger players … for them to walk 18 holes with one of the best players to ever the play the game – not golf – that’s been great for him.”

With Ed Bourke, NewsWire