One of Richmond’s most beloved icons has a surprising message for the club’s former coach, Damien Hardwick.
And it’s a message the Tigers faithful will be hoping falls on deaf ears.
Speaking at the club’s pre-season camp in Mildura, Richmond legend Dale Weightman said Hardwick “would be mad” to not try and lure Dustin Martin to the Gold Coast Suns.
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As a three-time premiership player, a triple Norm Smith medallist (best player in a grand final), and a Brownlow medallist, Martin is one of the most decorated superstars to have ever played the game.
And Dusty and Hardwick certainly made a formidable team, smashing Richmond’s flag drought to win three premierships between 2017 and 2020.
Before the 2017 triumph, Richmond’s last premiership victory was back in 1980 when Weightman featured in a team of Tiger greats.
“Well, if he can (poach) Dusty, he would be mad not to if he can get hold of him,” Weightman, 59, told 7NEWS.
“But Dusty’s pretty well entrenched at Tigerland, though.”
And new coach Adem Yze, the man who has replaced Hardwick after the latter’s shock departure half way through last season, will be certainly hoping Martin stays put until the end of his career.
Yze was an assistant coach at Hawthorn during that club’s golden era under Alastair Clarkson, and was also at Melbourne when they broke their premiership drought in 2021.
“I’ve coached Lance Franklin, Cyril Rioli, some really good players, but Dusty’s Dusty … like Dusty’s at another level,” Yze gushed.
After Richmond’s 2020 premiership, they have slowly slipped down the ladder, missing finals in 2021 and last year, and they were knocked out in the first week of finals action in 2022.
Martin’s form has also slipped as he battled personal issues and injury concerns.
But this summer, Martin has again look re-energised and fans are already salivating in anticipation that the 32-year-old is ready for another dominant season.
There are still some lingering injury concerns for key forward Tom Lynch – who stepped up his training on Saturday and spent some time with the main group – but the Tigers have confirmed that swingman Noah Balta will start as a forward in 2024.
“We’ve got Tylar Young and Ben Miller and Josh Gibcus down back who can hold up that end, and will feel like Noah can be a real threat forward of the ball,” Yze said.
Balta said he had had been working well with another new addition to Richmond’s forward line in former Hawthorn player Jacob Koschitzke.
After kicking 54 goals in 48 outings for the Hawks, Koschitzke made the move to Richmond in last year’s Trade Period.
“Me and Kozzie have been working really well together,” Balta told 7NEWS.
“We just need Lynchy to come back and they will work it out from there.”
In other positive news for Richmond, veteran defender Dylan Grimes also joined the main group on Saturday (after a stint in rehab) as he steps up his preparation for the beginning of the season.
