Martin still on Carlton hit list
GOLD Coast’s Jack Martin remains committed to joining Carlton with the club’s first pick in the pre-season draft.
The Blues refused to hand over pick nine in the national draft to the Suns for the talented playmaker and are now in the box seat to land Martin for nothing late next month.
In what shapes as a bargain pick-up for Carlton, club chiefs are confident the 24-year-old will fulfil his immense potential at Ikon Park after seven fruitless years at the Suns.
And while the Blues were unable to prise Tom Papley out of Sydney Swans, list boss Stephen Silvagni yesterday said the club was excited about what they could get with pick nine in the national draft.
“The contingency plan [for missing Papley] was always to go to the draft with pick nine,” Silvagni said on SEN.
“The top end of the draft is really exciting. Hence why we really valued pick nine.”
Club bosses including coach David Teague strongly endorsed Silvagni’s moves throughout the trade period including holding firm on Martin’s value at a meeting at the club yesterday.
Importantly, Martin and his manager Jason Dover were comfortable with Martin making his way to the Blues via the pre-season draft, leaving the Suns empty-handed for his departure. Carlton offered a future second-round and future third-round pick for Martin but that was knocked back by the Suns who demanded a first-round pick for him.
Melbourne will consider trying to enter the frame for Martin and beat the Blues to the punch for the exciting ballwinner with pick No.2 in the pre-season draft.
But Martin yesterday remained intent on joining the Blues and could refuse to meet with any other clubs in the lead-up to the pre-season draft, effectively putting him off-limits to rivals. Martin won’t return to the Suns, even if the club considered taking him back with the No.1 pick in the pre-season draft.
In particular, Martin is excited about playing alongside returning veteran Eddie Betts, wingman Sam PetrevskiSeton, and former schoolboy teammate Patrick Cripps.