Over the course of a 14-season career that saw him play 302 games, Dustin Martin rarely if ever shed a tear – but that changed when he bid farewell to Tigers fans at the MCG on Saturday.
Martin couldn’t contain his emotions as he returned to the cathedral of footy for the first time since he suddenly retired with immediate effect three weeks ago, sitting in a box with the likes of fellow outgoing Richmond great Dylan Grimes.
He watched the Tigers get condemned to their first wooden spoon since 2004 as the Gold Coast spoiled his farewell party with a 14.10 (94) to 10.6 (66) win.
Marlion Pickett, who famously debuted in Richmond’s 2019 grand final win, was given a huge cheer from the Tigers faithful when he came on in the third quarter after starting his final AFL game as the sub.
The loudest roar of the day came when Pickett snapped a goal in the final quarter.
Notoriously media-shy Martin, Pickett and Grimes were given a rousing reception from the 34,577 people in attendance as the trio did an emotional lap of the MCG after the final siren.
Just as he did after his 300th game in June, Martin gave a short interview to former Richmond teammate Jack Riewoldt.
‘[I’m] pretty emotional, [it’s] just pretty surreal,’ a clearly emotional Martin said.
Martin couldn’t hold back the tears in an incredibly rare display of emotion as he bid farewell to Tigers fans at the SCG on Saturday (pictured)
After 14 seasons, 302 games and three premierships, Martin leaves the game as one of the greatest Richmond players in the club’s long history
The 33-year-old voiced his love for the Tiger army in a highly charged interview at the MCG
‘[It] Feels a little bit weird. I think after today it’ll probably really sink in.
‘As everyone knows, I love the club so much, I love you [the fans] all so much.
‘I’m going to miss the place so much, just so grateful to be a Tiger.’
When Riewoldt told him to name a moment that sticks out from his career, ‘Dusty’ replied, ‘There’s been too many awesome moments over the journey, but you can’t go pat the OG flat in 2017. That was pretty bloody special.’
Asked to give one last message to the Tiger army, Martin offered this: ‘I love you all so much.
‘I’ve been so loved and supported. I love you all so much. Thanks for everything.’
‘It was great that our Tiger army, amazing they can come out to support not only the club, but two players (Martin and Grimes) that weren’t even playing the game,’ Tigers coach Adem Yze said.
‘Credit to our supporters for coming out and showing that respect and gratitude.
‘It’s fitting that we could send those guys off and hopefully show how much we love them.’
The Tigers are set to undergo a brutal rebuild, with Liam Baker, Daniel Rioli, Shai Bolton and Jack Graham likely to end up at new clubs next year.
‘Dusty’ departs the game as one of footy’s modern legends – and every Richmond fan at the MCG wanted a piece of him
Graham slotted the first goal of the game, with Bolton, Baker and Rioli, who is set to join Hardwick on the Gold Coast, also hitting the scoreboard in their potential Richmond farewell.
Three years on from the last of their three premierships in four seasons, the Tigers will go to the draft with the No.1 pick for the first time since they selected Brett Deledio in 2004.
Richmond could have avoided finishing 18th if they beat the Suns after North Melbourne were annihilated by Hawthorn earlier on Saturday.
The Kangaroos’ 124-point smashing dropped their percentage to 63.5 per, with even a tight Tigers win allowing them to jump from last and hand North their third wooden spoon in four seasons.
But Gold Coast blew the game open with six goals to two in the second quarter to lead by 32 points at half-time.
The Tigers showed far more fight in the second half, taking the game on at all costs, but were unable to reduce the margin to under three goals as Gold Coast saluted in their only game of the year at the MCG.
Gold Coast registered the most successful season in their history in the 28-point win.
Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick embraces Martin after his Suns spoiled the farewell party with a win that lifted them to their best record in an AFL season
Dylan Grimes (left) and Marlion Pickett (centre) joined Martin (right) in saying a very fond farewell in front of almost 35,000 fans
Although their bid to secure a first finals berth will extend into a 15th AFL season, the Suns have ended 2024 with an 11-12 record – beating their previous most successful campaigns in 2014 and 2022 (10 victories).
‘We want to play here more, but we’ve got to hold up our end of the bargain,’ Suns coach Damien Hardwick said.
‘We’ve got to start being a consistent, finals-calibre footy side, and we’re not there yet.
‘We think we’re on that journey, but we also understand that to earn this privilege to play on the great MCG, you’ve got to play a sustainable brand.’
Suns forward Jack Lukosius kicked two goals as he weighs up a potential move back to his home state of South Australia during the off-season.
Hardwick was hopeful the contracted Lukosius would stay at the Suns, turning down lucrative offers from Adelaide and Port Adelaide.
