A radical name to commerce Richmond famous person Dustin Martin has been shut down as “the dumbest argument ever heard.”
Martin is contracted to the tip of 2024 on a deal believed to be price round $1.3 million per season.
The 31-year-old is within the twilight of his profession and has beforehand been linked to a transfer away from Melbourne, with the Sydney Swans and Gold Coast Suns floated as locations.
But given the three-time premiership participant is previous his prime, the Tigers have been urged to commerce Martin to unencumber wage cap area.
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“He just can’t be at Richmond next year,” journalist Sam McClure stated on Nine’s Footy Classified.
“They should have found a way to move him on the end of last year. He was keen on looking elsewhere. There were clubs that were coming with contracts for him.”
Kane Cornes stated it could be a “big call” to dump Martin and open the Tigers to “backlash to trading one of your greatest ever”.
Martin is on observe to notch up 300 video games subsequent season and can go down as considered one of Richmond’s finest ever gamers.
“One of your greatest ever, legend in the Hall of Fame one day, can’t be at Richmond next year,” Cornes stated.
“Why can’t he be there? It’s not as if he’s playing poorly. Is there a buyer?”
McClure stated Martin leaving Richmond to play at one other membership “wouldn’t change his legacy one bit” however was essential to liberating up wage cap area.
“He’s on $1.4 million Kane,” McClure stated.
“This is the same club you’ve criticised for spending money on (Tim) Taranto and (Jacob) Hopper. They’ve got Dustin there on $1.4 million when they could have negotiated a trade to clear that salary cap.
“There is not one person at Richmond, not one supporter that would begrudge Dustin Martin for finishing his career somewhere else.”
McClure agreed buying and selling Martin “looks bad now if they did it because it’s mixed messaging”. “I’m just saying going into next year with him being the age that he is on $1.4 million,” he stated.
While Stuart Dew has the Gold Coast Suns within the hunt for a maiden finals look, former Tigers coach Damien Hardwick has been talked about as a candidate to take over the Suns.
“I don’t think he’s a great choice for the Suns for where they are and the players they’ve got coming through,” co-host Craig Hutchison stated.
“But you can understand from an AFL point of view, a marketing sense. I’m not sure the Suns and AFL would necessarily be aligned on this one. And it would need AFL money.”
But McClure insisted Martin may depart the Tigers and go to the Suns on considerably much less cash.
“Hutchy, you’re deal-maker and a modern thinker in this sense. His deal can be scrunched up like a piece of paper and thrown in the bin,” he stated.
“Gold Coast Suns give him say three years at $500,000, just over the average salary. That gives his $1.5 million.”
But Hutchison disagreed, firing again: “He’s going to play two more years and earn the same money? What commercial world are you living in? Are you fair dinkum?”
McClure: “Three years at 500 grand?”
Hutchison: “Versus $1.4 million? Give me a spell. That’s the dumbest argument I’ve ever heard.”
McClure: “Are you going to let me finish my sentence before you continue?”
Hutchison: “I don’t think it’s worth doing.”
Boom, mic drop. Hutchy 1, McClure 0.
Essendon nice Matthew Lloyd stated he believes Martin will “see out his career at Richmond”.
“Unless you’re thinking he’s going to help you win the flag, I don’t see how another club takes him next season,” Lloyd stated.
“I don’t think the Suns should take Dustin Martin. I don’t think the Sydney Swans should take Dustin Martin.”
Source: www.news.com.au
