No malice behind axing

Suns insist Martin demotion is purely based on player’s form

SUNS footy manager Jon Haines says Jack Martin’s axing has nothing to do with his contract and believes it will have no impact on whether he wants to remain at the club.

Martin has been dropped for the first time in his six-year AFL career for today’s QClash against Brisbane at the Gabba.

It comes at a critical time as the midfield-forward – out of contract at the end of the season and linked to a shift to Victoria – weighs up his future with three games left.

Essendon and Carlton showed interest in Martin last year and it’s believed St Kilda are keen to recruit him.

Haines said Martin had not given the club any indication as to what he would do and declared his omission was strictly down to form amid an inconsistent second half of the year.

“His form has been fluctuating over the last six to eight weeks, notwithstanding he has had three weeks out with a finger injury,” Haines said.

“Last week (against Collingwood) Jack would be the first to admit he didn’t have a great game as well.

“We felt it was a good opportunity for him to go back and have a really good hitout in the NEAFL and we hope it regains form and mounts a case for selection for the last two games.

“The feedback from both the coaches and leadership group has been around his competitive intent and being consistent with that.

“His concentration levels, intensity levels, levels of interest and body language.

“All those things that signal if a player is in the game.”

Despite his poor body language, Haines said he didn’t believe it pointed to the fact Martin may have already clocked out mentally.

“We don’t jump to that conclusion and certainly the feedback from Jack is that is not the case,” Haines said.

“We are seeing all the right intent and language from Jack. We have got no concerns he has switched off from a contractual perspective.”

Gold Coast’s hopes of retaining Martin have been bolstered with the midfielder discovering his market value isn’t at the level he expected.

It’s understood the 24-yearold Western Australian was considered to be worth between $500,000 to $650,000 a season but feedback from rival AFL clubs has been that the price he could now command was below that.