Dustin Martin is among a number of Richmond veterans who have been given an extra few days off following the club’s AFL bye week.
With no game this weekend, the Tigers were given a mid-season break following the Round 14 loss to Hawthorn that saw Martin celebrate his 300th game in front of 92,000 fans at the MCG.
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As most of the squad returned to work on Friday, Martin and a number of other experienced players were given some extra time to freshen up.
But he had already been in at the club on Thursday, before he was required, according to 7NEWS Melbourne’s Theo Doropoulos.
“Martin wasn’t there (on Friday), but 7NEWS understands he was at the club yesterday, completing a gym session,” Doropoulos said.
“He isn’t officially required back until early next week.
“The majority of the squad did hit the track for a light session at Punt Road (today), with training resuming after a four-day break.
“A few of the club’s veterans were given an extra day or two to recover after a gruelling first half of the season.”
Speculation over Martin’s future has run rife during what has been a tough year on-field for the Tigers, and has gone into overdrive since his 300th last weekend.
The three-time Norm Smith medallist is yet to commit to playing on at Tigerland, or in the AFL at all, beyond this year, despite an offer from Richmond having sat on the table for some time now.
Martin was emotional after the milestone match at the MCG and spoke to his former teammate Jack Riewoldt in a rare interview.
But questions about his future are still lingering, with Martin far from emphatic when asked if he would be back after Richmond’s bye.
“Yeah mate, freshen up after the bye, we’ll see how we go,” Martin said immediately after the game.
The 32-year-old did a mini lap of honour to acknowledge the enormous crowd, many of whom had come specifically to see the Tigers legend reach the milestone.
“The big question is whether the 300-game superstar will play out the remainder of the year, after what felt like a farewell following the Hawks clash,” Doropoulos said.
“But teammates and those around the club — some (are) confident, others hopeful, Dusty will see out the season.”
That view is at odds with the speculation that continues to swirl, with Carlton great Brendan Fevola certain that last weekend was Tiger fans’ final chance to see Martin in action in the yellow and black.
“Dustin Martin did something that I’ve never seen a 300-game player do before,” Fevola said on The Fox during the week.
“He did a lap of honour, pretty much. And Dustin Martin, who’s a quiet man, very reserved, very humble, he waved to everybody.
“He was clapping to the crowd. He was really lapping it up. I reckon he was saying goodbye.
“I reckon there was something else in it … I think he’s cooked. He needs to rest his body.”
Fevola said Martin was an “absolute superstar” and “in the top five players probably of all time”.
“(The game) was a script writer’s dream. First goal kicked of the game was by the great Dustin Martin …. and then he went missing,” Fevola said.
“That was all he did. I think he’s checked out.
“He didn’t do any interviews all week.
“No one could get him (to speak), and his great mate, triple-premiership teammate Jack Riewoldt, got on the ground and he interviewed him after the game.
“Now, this is what I’ve been copping a lot of flak for … I got told that he’s going to finish up after 300 games.
“He might play on to the end of the year, but he’ll finish up at Richmond by the end of the year.
“And he will go play for the Gold Coast for maybe one or two years — (he will) sit in the goal square, get paid a crapload of money, and join Damien Hardwick … they’re best mates.
“The last question Jack asked was, ‘Are you going to be back in a couple of weeks?’… Because it was around everywhere last week that he was done (retiring).
“He said, ‘Oh yeah, I’ll freshen up this week and we’ll be back’. I don’t know about that.”
Fevola said Martin lapping it up after the game was him “saying thank you to the beloved Richmond supporters”.
“You could see he was welling up in his eyes and clapping everybody,” Fevola added.
Richmond’s last four games for the end of year are against North Melbourne (Marvel), St Kilda (Marvel), Hawthorn (MCG) and Gold Coast (MCG).
“I don’t reckon he’ll last to the end of the year. There’s no way,” Fevola said.
