“No idea”: Dusty’s online dust-up over contract speculation
Dustin Martin and Donald Trump have at least two things in common – distinctive haircuts and not much love for journalists.
Dustin Martin has responded testily to suggestions he was being 'shopped around'. Photo: Michael Errey / InDaily
The AFL star again referenced the US President’s infamous phrase “fake news”, in response to more speculation about whether he would stay at Richmond beyond this season.
Martin and Fremantle captain Nat Fyfe are the standouts among players who become eligible for free agency at the end of the season.
On Monday night, the Channel Nine Footy Classified program claimed that Martin’s manager Ralph Carr was shopping him to other clubs.
That prompted a Twitter response from Martin, which was then deleted.
“More fake news on TV tonight on me and my manager by a footy journo … real fake news … no idea,” Martin tweeted.
Martin also went to Twitter and derisively wrote of fake news two months ago.
It was in response to reporting of a media call, when he walked away as journalists kept asking questions about his contract situation.
That tweet is also no longer on his account.
The journalist who made the claim about Martin’s manager, Fairfax football writer Caroline Wilson, subsequently told 3AW Sportsday: “I’m impressed Dustin is all over Donald Trump, that’s terrific… and I would suggest that maybe Dustin is not even aware of what his manager is doing sometimes.”
Caro has said that Richmond star Dustin Martin is being shopped around by his manager. #9FootyClassified pic.twitter.com/sPsqOvSU6t
— Footy Classified (@FootyClassified) May 15, 2017
Martin and Fyfe are restricted free agents, meaning that if they do want to leave, their current clubs has first right of refusal over rival offers.
If a restricted free agent wants out and his current club matches the offer, the player must go into the draft or try to negotiate a trade.
On the weekend, former Port Adelaide mentor Mark Williams, who was until recently an assistant at Richmond, told Channel 9 there was “no chance” Martin would relocate to Adelaide, despite speculation linking him to the Crows.
Williams says these two will definitely not be teammates next year. Photo: Michael Errey / InDaily
“I’m saying to Dusty there is no chance he could survive there, either,” Williams told the station’s Footy SA program.
“The fishbowl that Adelaide is and the amount of media that want to talk about you, everyone knows what you are doing every minute of the day – that’s not for Dusty… there is no chance.”
What did Choc think about the reports that the Crows should go after Dusty? He doesn't hold back on @Footy_SA pic.twitter.com/svOxTRf7MW
— Kane Cornes (@kanecornes) May 14, 2017
-with AAP
