Premiership-winning AFL great Paul Roos has urged the Gold Coast Suns to call off their pursuit of retired Richmond champion Dustin Martin because ‘it sends the wrong message’.
The AFL legend is in discussions with the Gold Coast Suns about potentially resuming his playing career under his former Richmond coach, Damien Hardwick.
Martin, who retired last month, could join the Suns as an unrestricted free agent.
There has been frequent speculation about the 33-year-old finishing his career in Queensland, where he could reunite with Hardwick.
The pair have reportedly met again since the end of the home-and-away season.
They were key figures in Richmond’s golden era, with Martin, a three-time Norm Smith Medallist, starring in the 2017, 2019, and 2020 premierships coached by Hardwick.
‘He’s a really, really good player, there’s no doubt about that, and every single club would be crazy if they didn’t sit there and at some stage make an assessment,’ Hardwick said.
‘Like 17 other clubs, we’re always looking for good players.
‘Gold Coast is no different. Those list management calls will get made at the back-end of the year.’
Dustin Martin retired from the AFL after a legendary career at the Richmond Tigers, where he won three premierships
The Gold Coast Suns (coach Damien Hardwick, pictured) have met with Martin to try and lure him out of retirement
But while there are many Queenslanders excited about the prospect of Martin lacing up the boots for one last hurrah, former Sydney Swans and Melbourne coach Paul Roos is not one of them.
Roos guided the Swans to the 2005 Premiership after famously bringing in the ‘no d***heads’ policy around recruitment.
And now he is urging the Gold Coast to reconsider their approach to Martin and let him stay retired.
‘Ride off into the sunset, that’s what I’m saying,’ he said.
‘If I’m coaching the Suns, I’m ringing Dusty and saying mate, great career, fantastic, if you ever want a ticket to a game, come up, you know we would love to host you.
‘You’ve been an icon of the game, ride off into the sunset.
‘He’s retired, he’s given all he can to the Richmond Football Club.
‘But I don’t know what Damien Hardwick’s thinking. If he had of played 20 games this year and the Suns had talked him into going up there, it’s maybe a different conversation.
‘But we have a player that’s retired, retires a Richmond legend.’
Former Sydney Swans and Melbourne Demons coach Paul Roos thinks Martin coming out of retirement for the Suns is a bad idea
The Suns are hoping the strong relationship Martin has with coach Hardwick (pictured together) will entice him to play on for the battling Queensland club
Roos is not only concerned about Martin’s legacy, he fears signing the superstar could backfire and cause a dip in form in other players.
Does it send the wrong message? Probably. It probably does a bit.
‘It probably sends to your team that I’m not confident in you. I’m now going to get a player that’s in retirement, I think we need a retired player to come out to get us where we want to get to.
‘So yeah I think so, I don’t think it sends a great message.
‘Unless Dimma has gone to the leadership group, or the leadership group has come to Dimma and said ‘we want Dustin Martin’.
‘Now that’s a different conversation. But without that conversation, I think it does send the wrong message.’
Gold Coast have a busy player movement period ahead, with Martin’s fellow triple-premiership Tiger Daniel Rioli already requesting a trade to play under Hardwick.
Collingwood defender John Noble also wants to join the Suns.
