Dustin Martin’s overseas trip revealed as Richmond faces a new setback concerning the AFL star.

New information has come to light revealing that Dustin Martin was actually out of the country at the beginning of the week. Richmond announced on Thursday that he will miss this weekend’s game, marking his third consecutive absence due to a persistent back issue.

Martin was substituted during Richmond’s loss to Carlton last month due to back spasms, and he has since missed matches against Fremantle and GWS. He will also be absent from this weekend’s game against Port Adelaide.

Richmond coach Adam Yze expressed frustration, noting that Martin’s back remains problematic. “We hoped he would be able to train today, but his back is still sore. If we push him now, it might worsen the condition, so it’s better to rule him out for this week and aim for next week,” Yze said.

In an interesting turn, AFL journalist Mitch Cleary reported that Martin was in New Zealand at the start of the week visiting family and only returned to Australia late Tuesday night. This timing made it unlikely for him to play in Adelaide on Saturday.

Yze acknowledged Martin’s frustration with his interrupted season and the speculation about his potential move to the Gold Coast Suns. “The main issue is not just that he can’t play but that he can’t train properly. We hope to get him ready for next week,” Yze said.

Despite the setbacks, Yze is optimistic about getting Martin back on the field for the remainder of the season, though he is not looking beyond next Sunday’s game against Collingwood. Yze also humorously dismissed the idea of confiscating Martin’s golf clubs, noting that the activity has been beneficial for him and his connection with the team.