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Yesterday we saw the beginning of a saga that is bound to be followed throughout the year, when it was reported that Richmond’s Dustin Martin has already put his contract talks with the Tigers on hold until the end of the season.
It’s an early stage of the year at which to do so, suggesting that Dusty is very seriously considering ‘his options’ – AKA heading for the exit, which might be the smartest thing he’s ever done.
Hopefully the Tigers can turn Dusty around but he has told them he won't talk contract until the end of the year https://t.co/XulxvXtGJ1
— Jon Ralph (@RalphyHeraldSun) January 30, 2017
I don’t mean to rub Richmond fans the wrong way – well, not too much anyway – but what would be the point in him staying at Punt Road anyway?
He is 25 years old and coming into the peak of his career. For the Tigers to contend for a flag in the time has left, they’d have to knock off the budding Greater Western Sydney super team in their prime. That’s a team against whom, you might remember, the Tigers managed just three goals in Round 19 last year.
If Richmond are any chance of winning a premiership in the foreseeable future, it’ll come through yet another rebuild, and Dusty’s career may well be over by then.
So moving clubs is the smart thing to do, if he can find a place that will give him a bit more dosh to walk around with, and a greater chance at on-field success. He might even get to win a final.
St Kilda have already been rumoured to be sweet on him, which makes sense – they’ve got some good talent, but nobody world-beating, and could use a superstar.
There was a lot of talk too about Adelaide making a play for him this time last year, and that wouldn’t be a half-bad idea either – they’ve probably still got plenty of cash lying around that would once have been earmarked for Paddy Dangerfield.
Of course, he could also make the very wise decision to join the next generation of Hawthorn superstars – sure, we’ve already got Tom Mitchell and Jaeger O’Meara, but we can find room for one more. Two, counting Nat Fyfe.
Really, any club with cash to splash and a half-decent shot at a flag in the next five years should be tossing their hat in the ring.
That’s a far cry from the last time Dusty looked at his options, a few years ago when quibbling over contract size with the Tigers. Back then he was still an inconsistent player who caused more headaches for his fans than he did for his opponents.
The only clubs interested then were those that were desperate for any kind of mature talent, GWS and Melbourne, and they both backed off pretty quick.
Times have changed, though. He has delivered on his promise, came third in the Brownlow last year in fact. He’s an A-grade midfielder without a doubt.
There’s a golden opportunity here for a club on the rise to swoop on one of the few players whose development Richmond has actually got right.
Tigers fans shouldn’t be too upset if it comes to pass anyway. Free agency compo will mean a first-round pick for them, and if they have another poor year – and that’s a pretty small if – that’ll mean two top-ten, maybe two top-five selections at the draft.
Add in the fact that they’ve already got GWS’s first-rounder and that’s a decent hand of selections to rebuild with after the Damien Hardwick era inevitably comes to an end. Just don’t pick anymore Richard Tamblings.
It may only be January, and things could change, but I’m confident you’ll see Dustin Martin in new colours come 2018 (hopefully brown and gold).
It’ll be smart for him, smart for Richmond, and very smart for whoever picks him up.
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