Richmond coach Adem Yze has just lifted the lid on when Tigers great Dustin Martin will play his 300th AFL game.
With the club set to travel to South Australia to take on Adelaide, the romantics of football will say that is not how Martin should bring up his milestone game.
Adem Yze has confirmed Dustin Martin will miss this weekโs clash with Adelaide, meaning his 300th game is set to be delayed until next week against Hawthorn at the MCG. pic.twitter.com/GpJUNKkU5v
— AFL (@AFL) June 3, 2024
But in a twist of fate that will lie heavy with the Richmond fanbase, the 2017 Brownlow medallist has been pulled from the match at the Adelaide Oval due to sickness as well as coming off a five-day break.
Instead, Martin is set to run out onto the MCG for his 300th game against Hawthorn.
The three-time Norm Smith medallist wasn't sighted at training on Tuesday as he starts to prepare for Round 14.
โThe decision's sort of been made for us," Yze said in his press conference on Tuesday morning.
"He's a bit crook today. We've only got one training session.
"It was always going to be based on how he got through today, but he's actually ill today, so that's taken out of our hands.
โHe'll miss this weekend and the silver lining to that is the fact that he'll get to play his 300th in front of our crowd against the Hawks next week.
โWe're disappointed that he's not available for this week, but for our supporters and our Tiger Army, they'll get to see him (play his 300th next week), which will be great.โ
With Martin missing this weekend's trip to Adelaide along with Marlion Pickett (calf), the Tigers are buoyed by the likely return of some of their experienced players.
"Touch wood, we've got a training session today, we'll get a couple back," Yze continued.
"Obviously, Marlion hurt his calf so we'll lose two but we could get two or three back in.
"We'll get Dion, Tim Taranto if he gets through today, there's a possibility that he'll come in. And Shai Bolton from concussion."
Yze said that experienced duo Tom Lynch and Jacob Hopper are "getting closer" to returning, with the pair resuming full training.
