Dustin Martin's manager makes a VERY unusual statement as footy greats urge the Tigers champion to retire

Dustin Martin's manager Ralph Carr has released an unusual and statement on social media as speculation continues to grow over the Richmond champion's future in the sport. 

Martin, 32, remains one of the AFL's biggest names, having claimed the Norm Smith Medal in Richmond's three premiership triumphs of 2017, 2019 and 2020.

The midfielder also won the Brownlow Medal in 2017 and has racked up 296 games.

But Martin's future has been the subject of intense speculation in recent months as he has struggled with injury and some pundits, like Kane Cornes, believe he should hang up his boots.

'I just think it's time in terms of there's nothing left for him to achieve,' Cornes said.

'And with where the club is at, they're about to go through a brutal stage, I would have thought.

'Does Dustin Martin want to go through that and then have questions over his form like he will get like Buddy Franklin had when he played probably one more year [than he maybe should have]? Just like Scott Pendlebury is facing now to a lesser extent.

'He's about to turn 33. Does he want to go through this at Richmond?'

On Wednesday, Martin's longtime manager posted an unusual message on X about his client. 

'Will always be the people's champion,' he wrote alongside a photo of Martin.

'Three flags, three Norm Smiths, one Brownlow, All-Australian, MVP, cannot be wrong.'

Martin's future was discussed on Channel 9's Footy Classified this week with Cornes questioning comments from Richmond coach Adam Yze that he wants to extend Martin's contract, which runs out at the end of this season.

'Footy clubs aren't a charity,' Cornes began.

'(Yze) has been pretty adamant, he's said a couple of times one of the jobs he wants to tick off is to extend Dustin Martin's contract.

'Is that the right call?'

Essendon great Matthew Lloyd answered first, questioning the money Martin might earn by playing on into 2025.

'Adem Yze has to be stronger than he's ever been before about what is best for Richmond,' he said.

'And I'm not sure spending $750,000 on Dustin Martin is best for Richmond.'

AFL journalist Caroline Wilson jumped in at the mention of this figure.

'There's no way they would spend that money on Dustin Martin,' she said.

'$500 (thousand) absolute tops. At the moment he's limping towards 300 (games). He wouldn't get any more than that, I am certain, if he's playing the way he is now.

'He's limping towards 300 and the way he's playing now, you probably wouldn't offer him another deal.'