- Richmond Football Club’s Dustin “Dusty” Martin has officially retired from AFL, effective immediately.
- The triple premiership, three-time Norm Smith medallist, & one-time Brownlow winner walks away from the pitch after 302 games across 15 seasons.
- This comes as Martin has been hampered by a back injury in recent weeks; his final appearance was Saturday’s match against North Melbourne.
When the Richmond Tigers drafted Dustin Martin circa 2009, they inadvertently ushered in a club golden era.
The Castlemaine-born talent was, after all, a franchise-defining player. Perhaps not to the sheer enormity and magnitude we’d eventually come to know him as at that stage, but a superstar-in-the-making nonetheless.
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Three premierships, 338 goals across 302 games, and countless victory benders later, the ridiculously credentialled midfielder/forward — who also happens to be a three-time Norm Smith medallist, one-time Brownlow medallist, three-time Gary Ayers medallist, dual Jack Dyer Medal winner, and four-time All Australian — is calling it a day on his illustrious 15-year AFL career, effective immediately.
Without any added fuss or fanfare. Not even so much as a press conference.
“It is hard to put into words what the Richmond Football Club means to me, I love this place so much. I will be forever grateful for the love and the support I have received from the people here,” Dusty Martin said of his retirement.
“To my teammates, the brotherhood that we all share is what I value most as well as the bond with the staff and coaches… thank you to all of you. To my family and friends thank you for your unconditional love and support.”
“To the Tiger Army: I have always felt so loved and supported throughout my career and for that I will be forever grateful. The memories that we have created together will live with me forever. Thank you.”
“So much has been said about Dustin’s impact on our Club and the competition, but more than anything, and put simply, I think it is the joy that he gave the Tiger Army and those around him that might mean the most,” said Richmond Football Club CEO Brendon Gale.
“Three premierships and best on ground in each of them will always be his legend, and rightly, it, along with his unique aura, will be what he is best remembered for.”
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“Dustin did it his way, and we are all just so lucky to have been Richmond people during his era of dominance. So, all I can say on behalf of everyone associated with our great Club is thank you to an icon. To our icon.”
While most men shrink under the bright lights, a championship-calibre athlete like Dustin Martin was practically made for it. He ascended to the sport’s highest stage, left it all on the field, and now, Dusty will have his entire life ahead of him to enjoy as a 33-year-old retired AFL icon.
An icon whose status we’ll never argue against.
