Dustin Martin must convince Gold Coast of his motivation to return to AFL football to be offered deal

Dustin Martin will be asked to convince the Gold Coast of his desire to play on as the details of a potential contract offer come to light. JON RALPH has more.

Dustin Martin could be off to Gold Coast. Picture: Getty Images

Gold Coast will ask Dustin Martin whether he is simply bored post-retirement or up for the huge challenge of bouncing back from a poor 2024 as they consider offering him a modest one-year contract.

And the Suns will have to examine how they would actually secure the retired Richmond player given uncertainty about whether he is a delisted free agent.

Martin would have to play for less than a quarter of his 2024 contract given the Suns cap is tight after securing Mac Andrew on a lucrative deal and extensions are ahead for Sam Collins, Matt Rowell and Charlie Ballard.

The club might end up offering Martin less than $300,000 in what would be a real test of his desire to play on with the Gold Coast.

Dustin Martin’s future is up in the air. Picture: Getty Images

It could also harden Richmond’s resolve to hold firm on demanding pick six as part of a trade for Daniel Rioli given the Tigers are aggrieved that Martin has so quickly moved on and Rioli has been wooed north by Damien Hardwick.

There have only been preliminary discussions between the Suns and Richmond on Rioli but the Tigers have already suggested it would take an “extraordinary” deal to secure their contracted stars.

The Suns have not yet started their due diligence on whether to secure Martin, who played only 13 games in his final season amid calf and back issues and flagging motivation.

The Suns are now expected to retain contracted small forward Malcolm Rosas, who had strong rival interest but have made clear to him he must return to the club in elite shape.

He has interest from clubs including Adelaide but the Suns believe his poor pre-season led to some of the hamstring concerns that impacted a season that also had a pair of suspensions.

Martin is keen to get out of Melbourne and the Gold Coast shapes as an ideal location given he has spent plenty of time in his off-seasons training in that area.

But while coach Hardwick is keen on Martin, the Suns would ask probing questions about whether the 33-year-old has a full pre-season and then 26-week home-and-away season in him.

Martin and Hardwick on the MCG during Dusty’s his lap of honour. Picture: Michael Klein

He would need to convince the club of his reasons for playing on given Martin’s very presence on an AFL list provides a circus befitting his huge status in the game.

Richmond coach Adem Yze was peppered with questions about Martin’s form, motivations and future every week as the champion battled with persistent injury and flew to New Zealand mid-season to see friends and family while battling a back concern.

Those close to Martin have often wondered what he will do post-career given the media-shy Tigers star will have to find new passions away from the game.

But in the end Martin is a very high-side, very low-risk play for the Suns, which is why it is more likely to occur.

The Suns are also tight for list spots given their rookie list will reduce in size after AFL allowances are phased out.

If Martin has signed a form 40 officially retiring then he is not an unrestricted free agent.

The Suns have not yet inquired about his official contract status, but after Luke Hodge unretired himself Brisbane used pick 44 to secure him in exchange for picks 43 and 75.

Richmond can hardly complain given it took Suns co-captain Tom Lynch from the Suns.

But having to trade for Martin might add another complication to the Suns

Richmond said in its statement when the triple Norm Smith Medallist retired that “Martin has retired with immediate effect”.