The four AFL clubs that tried and failed to sign Dustin Martin revealed as Tigers superstar prepares for 300th game as a one-club player

Celebrated Richmond Tigers superstar Dustin Martinis preparing for his 300th game as a one-club player despite numerous attempts by other AFL clubs to lure him away.

Known for his three Norm Smith Medals, Martin has often been the subject of trade rumors throughout his career ahead of his 300th AFL match against Hawthorn.

This Saturday, he will join an elite group of Tigers to reach 300 games, including Kevin Bartlett, Jack Riewoldt, Jack Dyer, Trent Cotchin, Shane Edwards, and Francis Bourke.

But there were several occasions where the Richmond talisman came close to playing for another club, including in his draft year. 

Richmond's recruiting manager in 2009, Francis Jackson, played a crucial role in ensuring Martin became a Tiger. 

Jackson resisted a significant trade offer from the Sydney Swans, who wanted to swap their picks six and fourteen for Richmond's third pick. 

'Sydney (was) very keen on Dustin, and they wanted to trade (picks) six and 14 for our pick 3,' Jackson recalled. 

'Now, normally you would discuss that, and you would take time (to make a decision), but we didn't even discuss it — it was never going to happen.'

Jackson's conviction led to the selection of Martin, a decision that has defined the modern AFL landscape. Jackson went above and beyond to secure Martin, even meeting with his family before the draft. 

'We did something unusual,' Jackson said. 

'I organised to have lunch with his mum and his grandma. I actually told them that we were taking Dustin at pick 3 — unless something radically changed — that Dusty was going to be a Tiger.'

In 2013, Martin came out of contract and toured the GWS Giants' facilities, considering a move to Sydney to be closer to his father. 

GWS offered a substantial deal, but it mysteriously fell through. Martin's manager at the time, Ralph Carr, said they believed Martin was a GWS player. 

'We thought the deal was done, we'd been up there, Dustin was going to reunite with his father in Sydney,' Carr said. 

'The deal was done and the next thing I heard was that it got pulled from above.'

Former GWS coach Leon Cameron later revealed he convinced Martin to stay at Richmond. 

'He liked the idea of being anonymous in Sydney, so then I asked him about 'Dimma' [then coach Damien Hardwick] and the playing group,' Cameron said. 

'He said he loved both. I said 'why would you want to leave, then?' A couple of days later, he said he was staying with the Tigers.'

Martin re-signed with Richmond on less money, a decision that proved pivotal for both his career and the club. 

In 2017, North Melbourne offered Martin $11million over seven years, an offer matched by the Adelaide Crows. 

Richmond's offer was lower, but Carr convinced Martin to stay, believing the Tigers were better equipped to support his ambitions. 

'Then we took less than that to stay at Richmond, which I had to talk Dusty into,' Carr said. 

'I gave him the equation of what we could make outside of football, which I thought was a lot better.'

Hardwick admitted he was worried Martin might leave, given the substantial financial offers from other clubs. 

'There (were) a couple of stages where he probably withdrew, if I'm being completely honest, throughout the season,' he said.

'He'd always give me 'everything's OK, everything's OK', but there were a couple of times where I thought 'maybe he is going to leave'.'

Martin's commitment to the Tigers was solidified after a meeting with his father in New Zealand, leading to his seven-year re-signing with Richmond just before winning the 2017 Brownlow Medal and leading the Tigers to a premiership. 

'Martin announced his seven-year Richmond recommitment before winning the 2017 Brownlow Medal and starring in his club's flag triumph over the side that pledged a lucrative sum to lure him interstate,' Hardwick recounted.

As Martin approaches his milestone game against Hawthorn, Tigers coach Adem Yze emphasised the significance of the occasion. 

'We're looking forward to it. It's a massive game for him,' Yze said.

 'His whole focus will be around performance and trying to get a win for the Tiger Army, and we will be trying to do the same thing for him.'

Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell acknowledged the challenge of facing a Richmond team celebrating Martin's achievement. 

'Probably half their side are premiership teammates of Dusty so it's going to be a big challenge for us,' Mitchell said. 

'There's the two hours of the actual game and there's the event that goes on around it, which we've got no control over.'