RICHMOND superstar Dustin Martin is committed to playing out the remainder of the season, coach Adem Yze says, amid ongoing speculation around his future.
After five weeks out with a back injury, Martin returned to action against North Melbourne on Saturday but couldn't lift the Tigers to a much-needed victory.
They sit bottom of the ladder with just two wins for the year after the 13-point defeat to the Kangaroos at Marvel Stadium.
KANGAROOS v TIGERS Full match coverage and stats
Martin kicked 0.2 from 16 disposals and was lively early, but ran out of steam towards the end of the match.
It remains to be seen whether the three-time Norm Smith medallist will play on next season - either with Richmond or another club - or call time on his glittering career.
"We're always in ongoing talks and it was great to have him back in there today and for some of our younger players to play beside him," Yze said.
"His knowledge and the way he sees the game is really strong and for Steely Green to learn off him on the run is just going to be invaluable for him.
"But we're in constant dialogue with him about how his body's feeling and how he's going to finish off the season.
"He's committed to finishing off the season and whatever happens after that will happen."
Pressed on whether he felt Martin might extend his career, Yze could not give a firm answer.
"Not around whether he's going to go on or not - it's just around the fact he's got some energy to finish off the season," Yze said.
"That's all I can ask and he showed some of the old Dusty moves today.
"He was a bit frustrated that he couldn't finish some of his work, but he has had an interrupted couple of months really, so he got a little bit tired towards the end of the game.
"He'll be better for the run and we've got an eight-day break leading into the St Kilda game so we're really looking forward to him playing his best."
Richmond's loss left them one win and percentage adrift of second-from-bottom North, and in line for their first wooden spoon since 2007.
They would be the first premiership side to then finish last within four seasons since West Coast in 2010.
"The ladder position is irrelevant to us," Yze said.
"What we've dealt with throughout the year has been pretty tough and our whole mindset around the last six or seven games is around finishing the season strongly for our fans.
"I felt like today they would've come to the game and felt the pressure and would've sensed that our players really care.
"That side of it is evident, but our polish and our execution is just off and we've just got to keep working on that."
Meanwhile, North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson insists winning is far more important to the Roos than draft position after their victory steered them away from the wooden spoon.
The 13-point victory lifted North one win clear of bottom-placed Richmond on the ladder with three rounds left to play, leaving the Tigers likely to finish last and claim the No.1 draft pick.
The Kangaroos were handed consecutive wooden spoons in 2021-22 but famously missed out on the chance to select teen sensation Harley Reid last year when a final-round win over Gold Coast hoisted them above West Coast on the ladder.
North unsuccessfully tried to tempt the Eagles into trading the No.1 pick in order to land Reid, who has shone in his debut season.
But there is no Reid-like stand-out in this year's draft pool and Clarkson is more concerned with his players experiencing highs towards the back end of another tough campaign.
"These boys want to compete, they want to play, they want to win - and we'll take as many wins as we possibly can," Clarkson said.
"Where that ends up in terms of ladder position and draft picks ... that'll work itself out.
"Particularly in this draft where it's just so even, wins are more important to this footy club right now than worrying about where we finish on the ladder."
Explosive midfielder Luke Davies-Uniacke (33 disposals, eight clearances) was best afield, spearhead Nick Larkey kicked five goals, while young guns Harry Sheezel (29 disposals) and Colby McKercher (31) were both strong contributors for North.
The Tigers dominated territory early and had more inside-50s (60-44), clearances (39-33) and scoring shots (27-20) than their opponents, but coach Adem Yze was left ruing missed opportunities.
"If we knew we were going to dish up those numbers we'd be pretty happy with the opportunities we created," Yze said.
"But we gave away goals where we can't defend because some of our ball movement was just too scattered.
"It's really disappointing and our players are really disappointed because they felt like they left it all out there today."
Inexperienced Richmond pair Steely Green (foot/toe) and Tom Brown (ankle/shoulder) were left nursing injuries with Green possibly out for the rest of the season and Brown facing further assessment.
