Richmond football boss Neil Balme has hit back at Damian Barrett for "making up crap" about out-of-contract Tiger Dustin Martin.
Barrett spoke on The Footy Show on Thursday night and suggested the reason Martin hadn't signed with the Tigers yet is because his manger Ralph Carr is still upset with the Tigers after an incident in 2013.
โNot long after (Martin toured GWS facilities in 2013), the Giants pulled out as other clubs did then as well, and what happened at that point, Richmond effectively pulled its initial offer for Martin, and as such re-tabled an offer with less financial component to it, so he stayed at Richmond for less money,โ Barrett toldย The Footy Show.
โThe anger stayed with Carr and his management, they re-contracted in 2015 but with the knowledge that he would be a free agent at the end of this season.
โThe clubs that are now pitching forย Dustin Martinโs services this time around are saying to us clearly in their eyes, with Ralph Carr having the clear hand in these negotiations unlike last time, that to them is the reason the protracted negotiations have been the way they are, so they have a very long memory.โ
Balme saw the report and jumped on SEN's Hungry For Sport,ย telling host Kevin Bartlett he wasn't happy with Barrett's suggestions.
โItโs just one more cross against his name. Doesnโt he talk some crap?โ Balme said.
โHeโs reporting what he thinks he wants to know โ heโs making half of that crap up.
โThey have to say something to make themselves meaningful โ and I get it โ but itโs just horribleโฆits meaningless rubbish.
โHeโs writing a drama novel.
โUnfortunately heโs in a terrible position because they (Channel 9) make him the news breaker โ and I actually get on well with him as a bloke, but as a news breaker (Iโm) not that happy.โ
The football boss admitted he understood the interest in Martin's future, but said the negotiations wouldn't play out in public.
โEveryone wants it all to be public, itโs between us and the player and thatโs what it was with Gary (Ablett)," Balme said.
โIt simply comes down to where he (Dustin) wants to play, itโs as simple as that so heโll make that decision.โ
