Tigers’ dynasty chapter closes with Martin retirement
Richmond are confident they can rebuild and reload for a new era after Dustin Martin’s retirement effectively turned the page on the Tigers’ extraordinary dynasty.
The superstar midfielder, who announced on Tuesday he was hanging up the boots effective immediately, was the face of the club’s dominance between 2017 and 2020, which delivered three premierships.
Triple Norm Smith Medallist Martin’s departure, late in a season seemingly bound to deliver Richmond (2-18) the wooden spoon, follows that of a collective of key Tigers over the past two years.
Former captain Trent Cotchin retired last year, along with former spearhead Jack Riewoldt, with only a handful of premiership players still on Richmond’s list.
Former coach Damien Hardwick quit partway through 2023, former president Peggy O’Neal stepped down in 2022 and chief executive Brendon Gale will join the Tasmanian expansion club after this season.
When asked if Martin’s retirement made it feel like the end of that chapter at Richmond, Gale said: “To some extent, yeah.
“He (Martin) captures so much attention of our football club that he is a metaphor, he’s a symbol for the change we’re undertaking right now.
“We’re changing and growing before our very eyes … it’s just a continuation of that narrative.
“But it’s really exciting at the same time, it’s exciting – to see the growth and the renewal and the kids playing and it’s their time now.”
There remains plenty of uncertainty at Punt Road on the personnel front, especially given their tough fortunes, amid a horror injury run, under first-year coach Adem Yze.
Contracted dynamo Shai Bolton reportedly wants to return to Western Australia for family reasons.
Vice-captain Liam Baker is tossing up whether to head west too, while Daniel Rioli is in Gold Coast’s sights and Jack Graham has interest from West Coast.
Richmond could seriously bolster their draft hand if any of their in-demand players leave.
“Internally I think we’re very optimistic about the future. And we’ve had a disappointing year, we’re well below where we expected to be,” Gale said.
“We know why – there’s evidence that can point to why we’re performing the way we are but we haven’t wasted this opportunity.
“We’ve had massive issues with player availability – we haven’t wasted the opportunity.
“We’re having a real good look at the next layer of our youth and the system does work against you. We’ve had a great decade. The system does work against you.
“You take what the game gives you. We go to the draft this year, we go to the draft next year, perhaps, albeit off a very strong platform, organisationally, culturally, financially. We’ll reload, we’ll go again.”
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