RICHMOND president Peggy O'Neal is backing star midfielder Dustin Martin to remain at Punt Road.
The 25-year-old's contract expires at the end of the coming season.
He is one of the highest profile players approaching free-agent status.
Martin has famously considered his options before, declaring his desire to leave, then touring Greater Western Sydney's facilities, only to stay in the yellow and black after all.
"We have every expectation that he will (stay), and have no indication that he is anything but happy at Richmond," O’Neal told News Corporation.
O'Neal expressed confidence in Martin's off-field behaviour declaring he has 'grown up a lot'.
"We have respect for one another but he is not someone I catch up with regularly. We don’t hang around together,” she said.
Despite drama off the field in 2016, Martin had a stellar season despite Richmond's disappointing overall performance, finishing third in the Brownlow being named an All Australian.
Richmond's first JLT Community Series match is against Adelaide at Etihad Stadium on Friday, February 24.
