Richmond celebrity Dustin Martin is as “invested” as he‘s ever been at the Tigers as speculation swirls about his future in the wake of coach Damien Hardwick’s shock departure.
Martin, 31, is contracted to Richmond till the top of 2024, however Hardwick’s choice to stroll away as coach and the approaching retirement of a few of his closest teammates, together with former captain Trent Cotchin, has created hypothesis in regards to the Brownlow medallist’s future.
Last yr Martin, who took an prolonged break to cope with his father’s loss of life, was linked to a transfer to Sydney, and it’s additionally been revealed the Gold Coast Suns inquired about his availability.
Martin and Hardwick began their enjoying and training careers collectively at Punt Road in 2010, and their relationship was essential to Richmond profitable three premierships.
Earlier this week four-time Hawthorn premiership winner Jordan Lewis stated he believed Martin wouldn’t end his profession at Richmond.
“I think (Martin) will play elsewhere … either (in) Sydney or Queensland,” he stated on radio station RSN.
Hardwick has additionally been linked to taking on on the Suns subsequent season.
But when that was put to Richmond caretaker coach Andrew McQualter, who has spent a decade on the Tigers earlier than stepping as much as substitute Hardwick, he was adamant Martin was all in with the membership.
He stated annual hypothesis round Martin had at all times come to nothing.
“It‘s almost been three years in a row. We’re about the same time of the year where the chat about Dustin comes,” he stated on Friday.
“Dustin’s in a terrific spot at the moment. He’s as invested as you could ever imagine in our footy club.
“He’s happy, he’s having a great time playing footy and he’s playing great footy for us as well.”
McQualter stated week two of his tenure had been “a lot calmer” with extra time to deal with taking up GWS on Sunday.
Electric teenager Noah Cumberland was recalled to the prolonged squad for the conflict with GWS after the coaches noticed a “spike” within the deficiencies that earnt him a rebuke from Hardwick earlier than his departure.
After breaking into the staff in spherical 10, Cumberland kicked six targets in a three-game stretch from rounds 11-13 however struggled for the subsequent two video games and was dropped again to the VFL.
Hardwick put Cumberland within the gun and stated he needed to realise “how hard he has to work in the game of AFL footy”.
Cumberland went again and booted 4 targets in a best-on-ground efficiency and McQualter stated the teaching employees have been pleased he’d labored on the defensive parts as requested.
“We did see a spike in that part of his game,” he stated.
“We know his ability to win the contest and to score, but he‘s just looking to improve as a young kid still in terms of footy in the amount that he’s played.
“So we have seen a spike from him and we’ll look to keep improving that for the rest of the year.”
Originally revealed as Richmond adamant Dustin Martin has no plans to observe Damien Hardwick out the door
Source: www.dailytelegraph.com.au
