Dustin Martin dealing with fresh family drama as AFL champion's uncle faces deportation
The Richmond Tigers veteran is going through some turmoil on and off the field.
Dustin Martin is dealing with more family drama after his uncle Dean was arrested on Monday and is facing deportation to New Zealand. Dean Martin is the brother of Dustin's late father Shane, who died in 2021 after he was also deported from Australia on character grounds five years prior.
Dean Martin is a former national president of the Rebels outlaw motorcycle gang. According to reports he has no criminal convictions but has been on the radar of law enforcement – including the Victoria Police Echo Taskforce – for a number of years.
The Herald Sun is reportedly that Dean Martin's visa has been cancelled on character grounds, but Victorian senator Lidia Thorpe is claiming he can't be deported because he's Aboriginal. Thorpe has admitted to dating Martin previously - a relationship which caused controversy at the time.
“How can an Aboriginal man be deported from his own country?,” Thorpe told the Herald Sun. “The government has made a mistake. He has proof and support and connection to elders and community in Tasmania.”
The situation comes as another blow for Richmond AFL star Dustin Martin, who was rocked by the death of dad Shane two years ago. Shane Martin was also a former member of the Rebels and was deported to New Zealand in 2016. Despite repeated attempts to get back to Australia, Shane was forced to watch from afar as his son won three-straight premierships with the Tigers.
Martin flew to New Zealand to visit his father in April of 2021, but they hadn't seen each other in 12 months when Shane died. Dustin and Shane shared a close bond, and the AFL superstar has been greatly affected by the tragedy.
“It’s been a massive challenge, but it is what it is,” Martin said in 2021 about not being able to see his dad. “I love my dad and he’s made me the man I am today. I’ve got full belief he’ll back here to watch us win another flag. That’s my dream to be able to have the old man up there (in the grandstand) with the rest of my family and watch the Tiges win another flag.”
Will Dustin Martin play for Richmond again this season?
Martin has been caught up in drama over the last few weeks over his absence from Richmond. The veteran midfielder has only played half a game since emotional scenes at the MCG for his 300th match, with a back injury sidelining him for the last month.
It emerged last week that he's travelled to New Zealand and then played golf when he got back to Australia, but was still unavailable for that weekend's game. Questions have now emerged about whether he's 'checked out', and when he'll ever get back on the field.
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Martin is out of contract at the end of the 2024 season and has been linked with a move to the Gold Coast Suns to reunite with former Richmond coach Damien Hardwick. But many have predicted he'll call it quits and retire from the AFL.
"Richmond's public position is, 'there's nothing to see here, we still hope and expect him to play this week and for the remainder of his contract'," Sam McClure said on 'Footy Classified' on Channel 9 on Monday night. "There is frustration building internally with how the last few weeks has played (out) with Dustin Martin.
"Richmond would like for him to play at least one more time, a farewell game. He won't play at Punt Road beyond this season. Clearly, with his lack of training and lack of coming to the club in the last weeks, he has, to some degree, checked out of that part of his career."
