The Richmond Tigers are reportedly waiting for Dustin Martin to come to the contract table as speculation continues around his impending retirement.
Prior to his 300th game at the weekend against Hawthorn, rumours persisted it could be his last hurrah but he later told Fox Footy he’ll likely be playing against Fremantle in two weeks.
“Yeah mate, freshen up for the bye and see how we go,” he told former teammate Jack Riewoldt after full-time.
READ MORE: Snub that doesn’t make sense amid Blues overhaul
READ MORE: ‘Really upsetting’: TV star responds to AFL kiss furore
READ MORE: Aussie billionaire wins most famous endurance race
A News Corp report has since suggested the Tigers have tabled a two-year offer to Martin’s management, with Nine and The Age reporter Caroline Wilson revealing the club is waiting to hear from their champion player.
“Richmond are waiting for Dustin Martin to come to them, they want Dustin Martin to come to them before they offer any contract,” she said on Nine’s Footy Classified.
“They want him to play for the next two years or for the next year and help the younger guys.
“… He hasn’t said that yet.”
Footy Classified is now available as a podcast! Subscribe/follow via Apple, Spotify or Google Podcasts
While Martin brought the house down when he was first to score a goal in his milestone match on Saturday, the superstar’s overall numbers were modest, returning 13 disposals to go with his major.
His Tigers were also soundly beaten by Hawthorn.
Wilson believes it’d be hard to give him a two-year extension based on that performance.
“That was the most unique footy game I’ve ever been to for what it meant, it was like Hawthorn won but it was like it was a one-man show, it was the first real rock star in footy, more than Lance Franklin,” she said.
“However, he didn’t look like a player you’d give a two-year contract to. He kicked one brilliant goal at the start of the game and that was it.”
Port Adelaide great Kane Cornes echoed Wilson’s comments, insisting Martin should finish up at the end of the season.
“He had a lot of (James) Sicily who got 10 coaches votes and who exposed him the other way,” he said.
“I’d want to see a lot more, certainly with his motivation, can he buy in for a pre-season? Does he want to set the standards? Is he prepared to not win many games for the next couple of years? And I’d want to see an increase in his performance.
“It’s the perfect time for him to retire.”