Ex Richmond captain Trent Cotchin Doubts Dustin Martin Will Join Gold Coast

Trent Cotchin, the former Richmond captain and close confidant of Dustin Martin, has cast significant doubt on the likelihood of Martin playing for Gold Coast. Despite recent speculation and Martin’s own outreach to the Suns and former coach Damien Hardwick, Cotchin remains skeptical about the move.

Martin, who retired from Richmond earlier this year, reportedly expressed interest in potentially joining Gold Coast for the 2025 season. The Suns have confirmed that discussions took place, but Cotchin, who has known Martin for years and witnessed his illustrious career, believes the chances of Martin donning a Gold Coast jersey are extremely slim. “I think there is a zero to 1 percent chance that he pulls on a Suns guernsey or any other guernsey for that matter,” Cotchin remarked.

Cotchin understands why Gold Coast might be interested, noting that such a high-profile name could bring attention to the club. However, he personally hopes Martin will remain a one-club player, reflecting on Martin’s impressive career with Richmond, including three premierships and a Brownlow Medal. Cotchin expressed his preference for Martin to end his career as a legend of the Tigers, stating, “There’s probably a part of me that hopes it doesn’t happen because of the love that I have and I think it would be nice for him to end up being a one-club player of the Richmond footy club.”

Former Sydney coach Paul Roos also weighed in, suggesting that recruiting a retired star like Martin might send the wrong message to Gold Coast’s current players. Roos argued that bringing in a retired champion could imply a lack of confidence in the existing squad and potentially cause disillusionment among the team.