Dustin Martin became the AFL’s mystery man this season as rumours of his retirement swirled, and now teammate Tom Lynch has revealed the Richmond great told some in the playing group he was quitting up to eight weeks before making the news official.
Martin has retired after a glittering career but the club will give him one final lap of honour at the MCG on Saturday when they take on the Gold Coast Suns.
The three-time champion, triple Norm Smith Medallist and 2017 Brownlow Medallist played 302 games for the Tigers and kicked 338 goals throughout his career.
But speculation began to swirl after he was sent off the field following his 300th game, against Hawthorn in Round 14.
This season, Martin was only able to play 13 games due to a back problem that affected his fitness in the latter part of the year.
There was also growing uncertainty over his future at Richmond beyond 2024 as his lucrative seven-year contract was coming to an end and his former coach and premiership mentor Damien Hardwick had taken over as coach at Gold Coast.
Finally, earlier this month, Martin ended months of speculation by announcing to the club, his teammates and fans that the 2024 season would be his last.
When Martin was forced off the field after the Round 14 clash against Hawthorn, many suspected he would finally retire this season.
Lynch, right, said Martin kept the exact timing of his retirement call to himself.
However, there was a select group, including Lynch, who knew the call would come, but didn’t know when.
“I didn’t know it was going to be the last game,” Lynch said on Triple M.
“He knew he was going to be done with his career at some point this year; he told a group of us probably six or eight weeks before that that he was going to be done (and) he wasn’t sure how many more games he would play.”
But Lynch has bad news for Gold Coast fans clinging to the hope that Martin might return for the end of his career on the bright strip, saying that is not going to happen.
“I was pretty sure I wasn’t going to the Gold Coast. I was sure of that,” he said.
‘I knew he would end up in Richmond when he let us know.
‘Clearly his 300th match here (at the MCG) was a big game to celebrate and there was a massive turnout from the Tigers army.
“He’s had a massive impact on my career and the entire Richmond Football Club. He’s one of the best players we’ve ever had.”
Martin will race with the Tigers one last time, but this time just for a lap of honor.
Lynch said there was no chance of Martin playing for the Gold Coast Suns next season with his former mentor Damien Hardwick (pictured together)
Martin won’t be the only player Richmond will be parting ways with on Sunday, as new coach Adam Yze is expected to reshuffle the roster in an attempt to climb back up the standings.
Richmond will close their season against Gold Coast at the MCG next Saturday as they fight an improbable battle to avoid their first wooden spoon since 2007.
They are four points and percentage behind second-bottom North Melbourne, who play the rampaging Hawthorn.
The Tigers are also locked in a fight to retain stars Shae Bolton, who is under contract until 2028 but has been linked with a return to Western Australia, and Daniel Rioli, who is being eyed by Gold Coast despite being under contract until the end of 2027.
Shai Bolton could also leave Punt Road despite having a contract until 2028
Martin may not be going to the Gold Coast Suns, but Daniel Rioli (pictured) has been linked to the glittering strip club
Yze said that while Martin will be given a lap of honour, it will also be the last game for many other Richmond players.
“It will be about that, obviously celebrating one of our best,” he said.
“It’s our last home game. We want to finish it in the best way, that kind of thing.
“But at the same time, our team is going to be different next year, whether it’s those players you’re talking about or the fact that we have guys retiring and we have to make some decisions on our roster anyway.
‘We want to make our fans and our Tigres army proud, but at the same time we are going to have different players wearing the shirt next season.
“We want to finish strong and deliver a great performance for our fans.”