Dustin Martin holds firm as Richmond greats reportedly rejected ahead of 300th AFL game

Dustin Martin looks increasingly unlikely to perform any media commitments ahead of his 300th AFL game with Richmond, and not even former teammates Trent Cotchin and Jack Reiwoldt have been able to convince him otherwise. That's according to leading reporter Tom Morris, who reported on Monday that Cotchin and Reiwoldt have been unable to snare interviews with Martin for Channel 7 or Fox Footy respectively.

Reports emerged last month that the media-shy Martin didn't want to conduct any interviews ahead of his milestone match, which will take place on Saturday at the MCG against Hawthorn. And Morris revealed on Monday morning that the 32-year-old is sticking firm to that stance, meaning fans won't hear from him before his 300th.

Former Tigers captain Cotchin was reportedly unable to snare an interview with Martin for employer Channel 7, and it looks like Reiwoldt won't be able to get one for Fox Footy either. “As it stands right now on Monday morning before a Saturday game, Dustin Martin won’t be doing even one interview before his 300th game,” Morris said on SEN radio.

“That’s clearly not a media conference but it’s also not a one-on-one with Trent Cotchin at Seven, or a one-on-one with Jack Riewoldt at Fox, or Matthew Richardson for the club’s website. Nothing has been locked in.

"I think Fox is still hopeful that Jack Riewoldt can convince Dusty privately to do an interview. But there won’t be anything at this stage that he does do. There’s a Richmond doco that’s going on the website on Tuesday night.

“Clearly the fanfare around Saturday will be significant. Dusty’s barber is going to be at the game cutting people’s hair like Dusty. There’ll be lots of memorabilia and paraphernalia.

“This is significant, I think, because of the AFL’s new rule where fines are attached to players and clubs who don’t comply with their [media] regulations. It would be a very brave AFL to fine Dusty or Richmond this week. But nevertheless, at this stage, there is no interview attached to Dusty’s 300th.”

AFL wanted Dustin Martin to commit to press conference

The AFL had been hopeful that Martin would conduct a press conference ahead of Saturday's game - as we've seen with other players in the past. But it looks like Martin will get his way and avoid the limelight and fanfare.

“That (a press conference) is not going to be happening,” Morris said. “Something ridiculous would need to change. The people I speak to, in and around Dusty, say there’s no chance.

“Jack Riewoldt at Fox is probably the last hope, but nothing has been locked in yet and it’s Monday of the 300th week. Dusty would just like to float through and play on Saturday. He has told people around him that he would like to thank the fans, and I think most fans would agree that the best way for him to do that would be on game day. During the week it feels as if there’s not going to be much at all.”

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Martin was in line to play his 300th game against the Crows in Adelaide last Thursday, but the Tigers rested him so he could bring up the milestone in front of home fans at the MCG instead. The decision sparked some controversy, with claims Martin would be letting down his teammates by not making himself available to play the Crows. But the Tigers won without him anyway, and have prevailed in both games he hasn't played most recently.