AFL 2024: Dustin Martin won’t play Richmond’s season opener against Gold Coast

New Richmond coach Adem Yze conceded superstar Dustin Martin would be “anxious and angry” but put his long-term fitness ahead of Opening Round goals after ruling him out of the clash with former coach Damien Hardwick’s Gold Coast Suns on Saturday.

Yze, who replaced Hardwick at the helm of the Tigers, declared the risk of him playing him “is too high” after he suffered a calf issue this week with just a five-day break before the blockbuster Thursday night clash against Carlton had to be considered.

He said the short break was also why the Tigers decided they couldn’t risk captain Toby Nankervis and Tom Lynch for the Suns clash as both recover from foot injuries leaving his team undermanned for the clash with the triple-premiership winning Richmond coach.

“(Martin) is obviously a bit sore, he’s got a corked calf. The risk of him playing this weekend is going to be too high, so we’re going to pull him out,” Yze said.

“We’ve got a five-day break leading into the Carlton game – he’s too important for us to go and push really hard for round zero up there, flying up there, all those sorts of things.

“It’s the fact that there’s games of footy, it doesn’t matter who we’re playing, he just wants to play footy, so knowing him he’ll be really anxious and angry about the fact that he’s not playing.

“But we’ve just got to be really smart, he’s just too important for us.”

Martin took a blow to the calf this week and while scans cleared him of any major injury, he wasn’t able to get clearance for Saturday’s game on the Gold Coast.

While the Tigers move on from the Hardwick era and adapt to a new game plan under Yze, their first opponents have been watching footage of Richmond at its best and trying to recreate the premiership coach’s system on the Gold Coast.

Yze said the odd dynamic was sure to add some “spice” to the clash, adding his players needed no help building up the occasion.

The experienced assistant coach said he felt a mix of “nerves and excitement” ahead of his first senior match in charge.

“It’s going to be an interesting dynamic, but one we’re really looking forward to,” Yze said.

“There are some Gold Coast players still playing the way Stuey Dew taught them how to play, so they’re still learning their game plan, we’re still adjusting to the way that we want to play.

“It obviously adds some spice to the game … our players can’t wait to get up there and show Dimma what they can do.”

Yze said Hardwick’s knowledge of Richmond’s players would be useful to the Suns, but he hoped the Tigers would play differently to how their former coach might anticipate.

“We’ve tinkered with our game plan a little bit so that’s an unknown for (Hardwick), but he’ll know the ins and outs of our players, he knows the strengths and weaknesses, but on the flipside we understand what he’ll be coaching as well,” he said.

“I don’t know if I need to pump up the game too much … our players understand who we’re playing against.”

Yze would not be drawn on naming any Tigers debutants early, and would also not reveal whether Jayden Short or Liam Baker would captain the side in Nankervis’ absence.

He said he expected Nankervis to return against the Blues but could only “touch wood” on the availability of Lynch after his 2023 season was derailed by injury.

“I’m confident that (Lynch) is training really well … we’re hoping he’ll be available, he’ll get another full week of training again and he’ll put his hand up for selection against Carlton.”