MARTIN SUPPORT
JACK Bowes says Jack Martin will be welcomed back by the playing group with open arms should the Suns decide to draft him.
Bowes said he still had enormous respect for Martin, with whom he shares a close friendship, and would have no problem having him on the list in 2020 despite the midfield-forward requesting a trade to Carlton.
“Absolutely,” Bowes said of getting Martin back.
“That’s out of my control but I have all the respect in the world for Jack Martin.
“I love him as a bloke and a player too. I get on with him really well and I’ll support whatever decision the club makes about his future.”
Bowes said Martin would be professional enough to play his best football for the Suns if he were to arrive back at Gold Coast through the upcoming pre-season draft.
“I’d back Jack in (to play his best), 100 per cent,” Bowes said.
The Suns haven’t ruled out selecting Martin, 24, with pick 1 of the pre-season draft, a move that would require them to provide a five-year, $3 million deal – with $1 million for the first season.
Gold Coast’s first to fourth-year players were put through their biggest session of the pre-season yesterday, a mammoth three-and-a-half hours of training that included a surprise cross-training period.
Richmond premiership player and Suns recruit Brandon Ellis did his first work in Suns colours while tall defender Sam Collins started integrating more with group drills as he works his way back from a hip injury.
Bowes ranked it in the top five of the hardest training sessions he had done.
“It’s only week two so some of the boys weren’t expecting that,” Bowes said.
“It was good to get that big session out of the way early and I think it’s going to get harder from here too.
“On the plan it was just a bit of footy training, no conditioning. They did it to play with our heads a bit.”
Bowes said it would continue to build the group’s mental strength for when they are deep in games.
“That is the real resilience part of it. We really pride ourselves on that, being a resilient club and we want to strive to be one of the most resilient clubs in the league,” Bowes said.
“Stuff like this plays with your head a bit and you think you’re done and you’re not.”