Dusty's Gold Coast push labelled "ordinary look" as further details emerge as to how it could happen

09/15/2024 08:15 PM

Tom Morris has clarified the situation surrounding Dustin Martin's potential move to the Suns.

While the all-time great announced his retirement, he can still move to Gold Coast as a free agent, as Morris explains.

"There's been a little bit of misinformation around Dustin Martin. He can go to Gold Coast as a free agent, so people comparing this to the Luke Hodge situation, that's not accurate," he told SEN Breakfast.

"If you're going to compare it to anything, it's Liam Shiels from Hawthorn to North Melbourne. The paperwork for retirements doesn't get lodged until late October.

"That means that Dusty can change his mind as many times as he wants between now and then and get to the Suns as a free agent.

"In terms of compensation for Richmond if it does happen, it's unlikely to be anything because he's in the top age bracket and he probably won't get paid more than the average AFL wage, maybe even less. I've been told all year that the only way he gets to the Suns is if he's happy to be on $300,000.

"This can get done. If he wants to get to the Suns and if they want him, there's nothing that can stand in their way.

"This has been pushed by the Dusty camp. Even when he retired, it was the Dusty camp talking about maybe getting to the Suns."

Kane Cornes however believes this is a bad look for Martin, coming off a relatively poor final year for the Tigers.

"It's a really ordinary look for Dustin Martin. For him to basically not want to play this year and in the background pushing to get to another club," Cornes said.

"If he wants to continue, stay at Richmond. Finish as a Richmond player. That's what he should be doing.

"He didn't want to play this year and he's been trying to get to another club and pushing that.

"In five years time we won't remember this and it won't affect his legacy, but if there's motivation to play it should be at Richmond, not Gold Coast."