Dustin Martin’s chances of joining Gold Coast drift as Neil Balme warns of risks for retired Richmond superstar
Dustin Martin has been warned about a potential move to the Gold Coast and the backlash he could face from Richmond supporters if he backflips on his retirement plans.
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Dustin Martin’s hopes of reuniting with premiership coach Damien Hardwick continue to drift by the day, with the triple Norm Smith Medallist unlikely to join the Suns.
Martin said on Tuesday night he was “happily retired” as he arrived for Tigers’ best and fairest count at Crown.
It came as Richmond administrator Neil Balme warned Martin would be “mad” to keep his career going to the Suns.
“I think he’d be mad to go and play again. I think he’s done his work and I reckon Gold Coast is probably not doing the right thing if that’s the sort of player they want to recruit. Because I reckon they need to build with youth,” he said.
Balme said Martin would have “total support” from the Tigers if he decided to extend his career in Queensland, but warned fans might not be as forgiving.
“He’s been a great person for footy and for Richmond, so we wouldn’t be crook on anything. And again this is one of these the supporters would be kind of unhappy about. They want Dusty to be a Richmond man forever. But he has said that’s what he wants to be and that’s what he wants to be seen as. So, I’d be surpised if he did go,” he said.
Gold Coast and Martin have until November to officially decide whether he joins them as a delisted free agent but despite the early excitement over a move north the ardour has cooled.
The superstar would have to show that he was fully committed to a training workload and travel burden that would include up to 13 interstate trips.
The club would also likely have to move on a required player to secure Martin given its extra list allowances granted under an assistance package have been removed by the AFL.
If the Suns were to make a decision on Martin now it would be unlikely they would invite him to continue his career at the club.
So while it is possible both parties might suddenly decide there are ways to make a one-year deal worth, the odds are long of him joining a second club.
The Suns also have to decide if they are in the premiership window in the next 12-24 months.
While coach Hardwick has a burning ambition to take the club to its first finals campaign the club still has enough young players developing that no one expects the Suns to win a flag in the next two years.
So bringing in Martin for a farewell tour, with all the distractions that entails, might not actually help the club progress towards a premiership.
Richmond premiership captain Trent Cotchin said last week he believed a move was zero to one per cent likely.
Richmond spearhead and close friend Jack Riewoldt said on Fox Footy’s AFL 360 of a move on Monday night: “I don’t think so. It’s starting to get less likely. I can’t see it happening.”
Riewoldt said speculation that Martin approached the Suns to kickstart his AFL career was wide of the mark.
Martin has taken up golf as a hobby and has spent time overseas on several golf trips so has found creative outlets outside of AFL.
The Suns have also used up most of their salary cap on extensions for key talls Charlie Ballard and Mac Andrew, and are chasing defenders Daniel Rioli and John Noble.
Originally published as Dustin Martin’s chances of joining Gold Coast drift as Neil Balme warns of risks for retired Richmond superstar
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