Richmond coach Adem Yze declares a happy Dustin Martin is all he wants as future decision looms

Richmond star Dustin Martin may have overcome his back issues but a potential playing return isn’t the most important scenario in his immediate future.

The smile on Dustin Martin’s face at training was all Richmond coach Adem Yze needed to see as he declared “I don’t care” about the ongoing external noise surrounding his veteran superstar while the AFL world waits on a call about his future.

A decision on whether Martin returns to the field for the first time since round 17 when the Tigers play Collingwood on Sunday will be determined by a Thursday afternoon discussion and hang on whether his three training sessions in the past week met the “volume” requirements to play at AFL level.

Yze joked that Martin, 33, who has been battling a “grumbly” back, could “possibly” be a consideration to be Richmond’s sub at the MCG, although that looms as highly unlikely.

But addressing reports of unrest between the club and the three-time Norm Smith medallist, Yze was emphatic that Martin was “in a good spot” both physically and mentally and nothing said outside the four walls of the club mattered to him.

“He turned the corner late last week,” Yze said of Martin’s back issue, the veteran having returned form a brief trip to New Zealand last week to resume training.

“Friday, he did a little session then he ran on Saturday. He trained Tuesday with the group but then today will be his main opportunity to train and get some volume in.

Dustin Martin back on the track for a light skills session as he looks to return to the senior side. @[e-mail]/huXDTf1wy4

— David Zita (@DavidZita1) July 22, 2024

“We’ll have to make a decision on whether that’s enough to go and perform at AFL level. We won’t put him at any risk to hurt himself this weekend. Decision making will be around whether one or two sessions is enough or does he need another full week of training. But he’s in a good spot which is great.”

Yze said seeing Martin “bounce back in” to the club was evidence of his desire to get back on the field, having played just once since his emotional 300th game, and with no decision yet made, or announced, about what he’d be doing in 2025.

“If you look at him and when you watch him bounce back in, he needed to go and see some family while his back was a bit grumbly, but the minute he’s walked back in he’s got a smile on his face and enjoying his training and that’s all we can ask,” Yze said.

“When he’s at the footy club we want him to enjoy himself and all the other stuff and the external noise, I don’t really care about.”

Martin is not the only player with a decision to make, with vice-captain Liam Baker weighing up big offers to return home to Western Australia.

On Wednesday, injured Richmond spearhead Tom Lynch suggested the poor season from the Tigers, who have won just two games and could finish last, might impact Baker’s decision.

Yze said that would not be the case, which was clear in the way Baker was attacking the rest of the season.

“Knowing Bakes, that’s not going to be any part of his decision making,” he said.

“He loves the footy club, his decision making is whether he goes home or not.

“It’s not about win-loss and where he sees the future of our footy club and what the next few years look like.

“He hasn’t checked out, he’s going to play right to the end, and when he makes that decision he’ll make that decision.”