Richmond’s president has taken a swipe at a departing quartet of premiership stars as megastar Dustin Martin shuts down hypothesis of popping out of retirement.
Final month Martin met with Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick, his former mentor at Richmond, fuelling rumours the Tiger nice was contemplating a transfer to Gold Coast.
Martin, who ended his embellished 302-game profession in August, attended Richmond’s greatest and fairest operate on Tuesday evening.
“Fortunately retired,” he advised 9 Information in response to strategies he was considering a comeback.
Three of 4 gamers who need to go away Richmond completed within the prime 5 of the most effective and fairest, gained by Daniel Rioli.
Rioli, who desires to reunite with Hardwick on the Suns subsequent season, polled 40 votes, whereas Liam Baker and Shai Bolton, who each need trades to Western Australia, tied for fifth with 30 votes every.
Twin premiership-winning midfielder Jack Graham can also be leaving the Tigers, who completed final this season with simply two wins.
Richmond president John O’Rourke took a thinly veiled swipe on the quartet by highlighting triple premiership participant and Perth-born Nathan Broad, who gained his second straight Francis Bourke Award for the one who greatest upholds the membership’s trademark values.
O’Rourke lauded the loyalty of these staying at Richmond to information “our younger gamers via this subsequent section of development”.
“Simply by the use of instance … how lucky are we to have gamers of the character of a Nathan Broad,” O’Rourke advised the operate.
“I do know via this yr, I am certain he may have explored choices to see out his profession in his residence state or maybe search for extra profitable choices with different golf equipment.
“However he selected to increase for an additional two years … what a Richmond man.”
Baker desires to hitch West Coast and their new coach Andrew McQualter, a former Richmond assistant who was interim coach for 13 video games final season when Hardwick abruptly give up.
Bolton has additionally advised the Tigers he desires a commerce to WA — but to publicly nominate a most popular vacation spot, the 25-year-old has been linked with Fremantle.
After the Eagles introduced McQualter’s appointment on a three-year deal on Monday, Baker and Graham had been fast to state their intention of becoming a member of West Coast.
The Richmond operate was attended by Rioli, Bolton, Baker and Graham regardless of their want to go away the membership, in distinction to St Kilda’s stance on Josh Battle.
Battle was advised not the attend the Saints’ membership champion operate after signalling his intent to hitch Hawthorn.
Whereas Graham can depart Richmond as a free agent, the Tigers will strike offers for Bolton, Baker and Rioli when the 10-day commerce interval opens on Monday.
The Tigers are understood to be eyeing Gold Coast’s choose six on the nationwide draft in a deal for Rioli, who expressed his love for the membership when gathering his membership champion award.
“I like each single considered one of you within the room,” Rioli stated.
The Perth-born Baker, who featured in Richmond’s 2019 and 2020 premierships, additionally advised of his gratitude to the membership.
“I respect all the pieces the membership has achieved for myself and my household through the years and this yr … I am unable to wait to assist it and it’ll be nice trying from afar,” he stated.
AAP