Dustin Martin’s retirement announcement isn’t the conclusion of a great sports story; if anything, it’s a new chapter in a new book starring the Richmond icon.
Martin turned up at Tigers headquarters at Punt Road on Tuesday morning with no fanfare, no warning and no expectations to calmly tell his Tigers teammates that they had hung up their boots. Effective immediately.
There was no media briefing, just some prepared statements from Martin and the club and that was it.
But what happens next is the question on every football fan’s mind, wondering if he will simply walk off into the sunset and never be seen again.
There is a school of thought that holds that his retirement announcement is just a smokescreen for a reunion with former coach Damien Hardwick at the Gold Coast Suns.
Carlton great Brendan Fevola predicted that would be the case months ago after Martin’s 300th game.
“My message is that he will retire after playing his 300th game,” she told The Fox radio show Fifi, Fev & Nick in May.
‘Say thank you to Richmond fans after their 300th anniversary. Take a couple of months off. Get fit. Get your head straight.
Martin has the world at his feet and a number of different well-paid options available to him now that he has announced that he has played his final game of AFL football.
Martin is pictured signing autographs in 2014. Ten years later, he doesn’t know what to do after closing the door on his stellar playing career.
“His manager has been looking at properties on the Gold Coast so Dusty can move up and rekindle his friendship with (Richmond Premiership coach) Damien Hardwick, who now coaches the Gold Coast Suns,” Fevola continued.
“He’ll be paid a lot of money to go to the Gold Coast, play forward and help these young lads, who have never played in a final in their history. So they’ll bring him there and he’ll be the centrepiece of Queensland football.”
It’s a tempting proposition and one the Suns are desperately hoping to make happen, but it’s far from the only offer on the table.
Here are the options available to Martin and where his future could lie.
1. He will come out of retirement.
Martin has achieved everything there is to achieve in the game, but could he be tempted to come out of retirement to help the Gold Coast Suns in their struggle?
The thing about retirement from football is that it’s not a set-in-stone pact, it’s not a blood pact and it’s not enshrined in federal law. Players can change their minds and come back to play.
Shane Mumford is the best recent example. The ‘Mama’ retired after four seasons with the GWS Giants and took on the role of ruck coach.
He came out of retirement in 2019 to help lead the Giants to an AFL grand final and continued for another two seasons before hanging up his pants for good.
Luke Hodge is a more similar example. He did everything he could in the game and won four championships with Hawthorn before retiring in 2017.
The Brisbane Lions were in a rebuilding phase and needed an experienced boss to guide their young guns and Hodge fit the bill perfectly.
He agreed to come out of retirement to play restricted minutes and limited games, and also to be the leading voice the club desperately needed.
Martin could easily fill that role at the Gold Coast Suns and his old friend Hardwick still has plenty of time to convince him of that idea.
And many analysts believe the timing of Martin’s “retirement” could be to give him a longer offseason to get his body in shape for one last showdown with the Suns.
Although it is not the top flight, Martin could be interested in playing lower-level football, away from the scrutiny of the public and the media.
Brent “Boomer” Harvey recently scored his 500th senior cap for North Heidelberg, while Fevola has retired more than once but still shows up to preseason workouts for his park soccer team every year.
2. He will become an AFL commentator.
His former teammate and good friend Jack Riewoldt (pictured left with Martin after a match this year) has already made the jump to the media.
Martin is well connected, including being good friends with former football star and commentator Rex Hunt (pictured together).
Fox Footy and Channel Seven love to have a superstar behind the microphone and Martin is the biggest name on the market right now.
Make no mistake, big offers are already being prepared to tempt Martin into becoming a football analyst.
His former team-mate Jack Riewoldt has already made the switch, while Trent Cotchin attempted to do so, much to the amusement of Kane Cornes.
Many will argue that Martin is too soft-spoken and too scared of the spotlight to be a good football commentator and others will suggest that his disdain for the media would mean he would never become part of the machine.
But money talks and stranger things have happened in football.
3. He will become a coach
A reunion with former Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick could be on the cards, possibly in an off-field role.
This idea makes sense. Perhaps Martin’s destiny is to join the Gold Coast Suns in some advisory role, be coached by Hardwick and eventually become head coach.
This would satisfy the continuing ties to the Suns and his former mentor, while also meaning he would no longer have to wait in line on game day. He could have all he had and eat it too.
Richmond would no doubt also be willing to offer him a job for life. If he wanted to improve his skills and move into coaching or another off-field role, Brendon Gale would surely give him the green light.
Come to think of it, most AFL clubs would love to have him around during training just for his presence.
In this way, Martin could control the narrative and be as involved (or not) in public appearances and media engagements as he wanted.
It would keep him involved in football, keep his bank balance healthy and give him lifelong job security.
4. It will disappear from the spotlight.
Martin’s manager Ralph Carr (pictured together) has ensured his prized client is set for life with smart property investments made throughout his playing career.
Martin and Carr own a large amount of warehouse and factory space in Richmond that is worth millions.
Martin may have gone into the sunset. He may well retire and shut himself away as a complete hermit and reject all the million-dollar offers to simply enjoy life on his own terms.
It’s a big possibility for a man famous for his disdain for being in the public eye and who was left burned after the deportation and then death of his father during Covid lockdown protocols that were highlighted in the media.
You wouldn’t blame Dusty for never wanting to see another television camera or microphone again as long as he lives.
And let’s face it: the man never needs to work again.
His manager made sure of that by helping Martin build a property portfolio that has allowed him to live for a lifetime.
Martin and Carr are co-owners of Butler Property Group, which they founded in 2016.
The group focuses on buying retail and office properties in Richmond, where commercial property values have risen as businesses move out of the CBD.
Martin and Carr already own a number of warehouse-style buildings in Richmond. Their properties stretch from 23 Butler Street to 37 Butler Street, spanning almost 900 square metres. They are reportedly looking for more properties on the Gold Coast.
Martin also owns a renovated office building on Victoria Street, purchased for $3 million in 2019. Along with Carr and Bissiotis, he co-owns a retail and office property on Victoria Street in Abbotsford, purchased for $4.8 million in 2020.
And in 2021, Martin purchased a waterfront apartment in Port Melbourne for $1.7 million. The luxury home has two bedrooms and offers stunning views of Port Phillip Bay.
The guy will never need to work another day in his life, if that’s what he decides to do.