Hardwick cool on $1.6m Dusty offer

RICHMOND coach Damien Hardwick says the club is not worried about Dustin Martin’s contract status and rubbished talk of a $1.6 million-a-year offer being tabled for the gun midfielder.

Martin, 25, has been linked with several clubs, including North Melbourne and Essendon, since he and his management put off contract talks until the end of the season.

Former Melbourne forward David Schwarz declared this week on radio that Essendon had tabled a $1.6 million-ayear offer to Martin’s manager Ralph Carr.

“1.6 [million], yeah. Makes me wish I was Dusty. It’d be nice,” Hardwick said yesterday at Punt Rd.

“It is what it is. It’s the age that we’re in, the figures get bandied around.

“No one is any more aware than us.

“Those figures are easy to say. Whether it’s true or not, I don’t know. It’s easy for an SEN commentator to say, but there is no foundation to that basis.

“We’re not too worried about it. We know where it is, once we know more you’ll know more.”

The Bombers released a statement on Monday night labelling the speculation and reports of any offers to Martin or his management as “unfounded”.

Hardwick would not be drawn on what Martin could be worth, including the prospect of him potentially having to accept less to stay put.

“I don’t get involved in the money,” he said.

“All I know is Dusty is a wonderful player and we’d love to have him.”

Martin enters tomorrow night’s game against North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium in sterling form, racking up 30 and 35 disposals in the past two rounds.

Hardwick said yesterday the Tigers must take their chances going forward and be prepared for North’s hi-octane attack.

“I think the thing with North [is] at some stage they’re going to get a run on, that’s the way they play,” he said.

“They’re a good counterattacking side and they are going to get a run on of goals.

“We just got to accept that, understand when that happens we try and negate that as best we can and try and deflect the scoreboard damage as best we can.”

Hardwick said the recent record between the two sides — North Melbourne leads 7-1 — had no bearing on tomorrow’s clash.