Trent Cotchin has surprised the Talking Footy panel with a very confident declaration that “one of, if not both” Dustin Martin and Liam Baker will not be in Richmond colours next year.
The Tigers are facing a fork in the road with about half their list out of contract at the end of the season.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Trent Cotchin surprises Talking Footy panel with Richmond declaration.
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Martin and Baker are the two most prominent names who will control their own fate, while the likes of Toby Nankervis, Kamdyn McIntosh, Dion Prestia, Jack Graham, Jack Ross and Marlion Pickett all have decisions to make.
Martin’s future was a hot topic again last week but rumours of a looming retirement were denied by his management.
Baker, meanwhile, has a few months left before he needs to make a call on staying in Melbourne or heading home to Western Australia.
He met both West Coast and Fremantle when he was last out of contract in 2022 — and after two years of improvement the interest in Baker appears even stronger now, according to Cotchin.
The Tigers premiership captain was asked to predict if either of his former teammates Martin or Baker would be at Punt Road in 2025.
“I believe that one of them, if not both, will not be in Richmond colours next year,” Cotchin told Channel 7’s Talking Footy.
The answer drew gasps from fellow panel members Joel Selwood and Tim Watson.
“Well, Baker, the numbers that I’m hearing from the west are pretty significant,” Cotchin added.
The nugget was declared “big” by James Brayshaw while Watson said: “That is huge. Huge!”
Martin has long been linked to a reunion with premiership coach Damien Hardwick at the Gold Coast Suns.
But the prospect remains no more legitimate than a retirement, with the Norm Smith medallist never letting slip his intentions.
Baker’s departure at the age of 26 would be a hammer blow for the Tigers to end senior coach Adem Yze’s tough first year in charge.
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Richmond’s injury list is among the longest in the AFL with Prestia, Ross, Noah Balta, Tim Taranto and Tom Lynch all still some way off returning.
Josh Gibcus and Judson Clarke are both out for the season with ACL tears.
The Tigers showed their promise with a win over Sydney in Round 3 before the injuries began to bite, with last week’s loss to West Coast painting a bleak picture.
Cotchin’s fresh prediction that Martin and Baker could both leave arrived on the day new rumours around Daniel Rioli emerged.
A report claimed the under-contract star met up with Hardwick and toured Suns headquarters.
