Grigg makes massive call on Martin's future at Tigers

Shaun Grigg was asked to rate Dustin Martin's chances of staying at Richmond out of 10, and his answer might worry some Tigers fans.

Martin is one of the biggest names among the players who become eligible for free agency at the end of the 2017 campaign.

He's been linked to Essendon and North Melbourne in recent weeks, and when asked about his teammate on AFL Game Day on Sunday, Grigg wasn't 100% certain Martin would stay.

"Last year I would have said Deledio was 10 out of 10 to stay so I’ve got no idea," Grigg said.

"I’m hopeful, I really want him to so I’ll say about an 8."

North are poised to offer Martin a long-term deal believed to be worth at least $1 million a year, Fairfax Media reports.

The deal would be expected to last until at least 2022 for the 25-year-old goal-kicking midfielder, who has previously told Richmond he will not make a decision on his future until the end of the current season.

Richmond have offered Martin a five-year deal believed to also be worth $1 million per season.

Richmond's football boss Neil Balme said the club was in constant contact with Martin's agent and was not aware of specific offers from rival clubs.

"We accept that this is the way it is and we completely understand it's Dustin's right to consider his future," Balme told Fairfax.

A best-afield performance from Martin helped Richmond to a pulsating 15-point win over Essendon in the AFL's Dreamtime at the 'G clash on Saturday night.

with AAP