‘Don’t really care’: Richmond coach Adem Yze responds to criticism over Dustin Martin situation

Richmond coach Adem Yze has justified the decision to let star veteran Dustin Martin travel to New Zealand despite his ongoing back injury. Martin, who missed games against Fremantle, GWS, and Port Adelaide due to the injury, was allowed to visit family abroad during his rehab.

Following Richmond’s 41-point loss to Port Adelaide, Yze was asked about the wisdom of allowing the 33-year-old with a bad back to undertake lengthy international flights.

“I don’t really care what other people say … he needed some time away,” Yze responded. “He wasn’t going to be available to play, so he got away and spent some time with family, and he’ll come back into our program and try to get fit for the next game.”

Dustin Martin during Richmond’s open training on December 20, 2022 (Photo by Cameron Grimes/Zero Digital Sports)

Yze explained that Martin had experienced back issues before his trip and that the time away was necessary. He hopes Martin will be ready to train fully and be available for the upcoming game against Collingwood. Martin did struggle with training upon his return, needing a full week of preparation to be considered fit to play.

Speculation continues about Martin’s future, including a possible reunion with former coach Damien Hardwick at Gold Coast or retirement.

While Martin might play against Collingwood, captain Toby Nankervis is set to enter concussion protocols after being subbed out against Port Adelaide at three-quarter time. Richmond will see some relief from injuries with Tim Taranto and Nick Vlastuin returning to the lineup.

Yze praised the players’ resilience despite a limited selection pool, noting the team’s strong fight against Port Adelaide, where they trailed by just 10 points at three-quarter time before succumbing to their fifth consecutive loss.

“I was rapt with our mindset in the last quarter in trying to win the game and not just have an honourable loss, but our boys are hurting,” Yze said. “Our fans expect a lot from us, and so do we, so I’d hope that up until three-quarter time that they were proud of our performance. But we’ve just got to finish off games better.”