Former Richmond captain Trent Cotchin doesn’t think Dustin Martin will play for Gold Coast

Few people know Dustin Martin more closely than his former Richmond captain Trent Cotchin who has had his say on a potential retirement backflip.

Dustin Martin pulling on a Gold Coast Suns jersey is a “zero to 1 per cent chance” according to the retired Richmond star’s premiership captain, and confidant, Trent Cotchin.

After calling time on his career at the Tigers, Martin, 33, reportedly reached out to the Suns and former coach Damien Hardwick seeking their interest in potentially suiting up again in Queensland in 2025.

The Suns confirmed Martin had contacted them and conversations were happening.

But Cotchin, a long-time friend and mentor to the three-time Norm Smith medallist, said while he could understand the possibility, he doubted Martin would play for another club and he would finish as a Richmond legend.

“I think there is a zero to 1 per cent chance that he pulls on a Suns guernsey or any other guernsey for that matter,” Cotchin said

“But, in saying that, you can understand why the likes of a Gold Coast and ‘Dimma’ (Hardwick) are teasing the idea of maybe it eventuating.

Trent Cotchin and Dustin Martin have shared some special times. Picture: Michael Klein

“I don’t know why, and maybe you guys have different opinions on whether it does help their footy club, but they’re not in finals, they’re in the paper every single day and it builds awareness of their footy club.”

Cotchin said he would love to see Martin remain a one-club player after playing 302 games in yellow and black, winning three premierships and a Brownlow as one of Richmond’s greatest-ever players.

“There’s probably a part of me that hopes it doesn’t happen because of the love that I have and I think it would be nice for him to end up being a one-club player of the Richmond footy club,” Cotchin told Channel 7’s Talking Footy.

“But footy is a bloody tough game. Maybe that’s the fresh start that he needs, but to move away to a new environment where they’re building and it’s going to look a lot different to what the latter stages of his career looked like at the Tigers.

“It’s a big call.”

Former Sydney premiership coach Paul Roos warned that bringing Martin on-board could spark disillusionment within Gold Coast’s playing ranks.

“We’re (recruiting) a player that’s retired a Richmond legend, does it send the wrong message?” he said this week.

“Probably – it probably does a bit, it sends to your team that ‘I’m not confident in you, I’m now going to get a player that’s in retirement … to come out and get us where we want to get to’.”

Originally published as Former Richmond captain Trent Cotchin doesn’t think Dustin Martin will play for Gold Coast