Trent Cotchin: Dustin Martin’s teammate and great friend has an eye-opening three-word prediction for how he’ll deal with retirement

Tigers great Trent Cotchin has revealed why he believes his great mate Dustin Martin will be ‘completely s**t scared’ about life after footy after the 33-year-old quit the game just over a week ago.

The former Richmond teammates won three premierships together, leaving Cotchin – who retired last year – uniquely placed to speculate on how Martin will deal with life off the field.

‘I don’t know what he will do,’ Cotchin told Channel Seven’s Talking Footy on Wednesday night after being asked how Martin will spend his time.

‘I think, having experienced it myself this year, you go into this whole new world that you don’t know.

‘And for him to be curious about what interests him, finding purpose in a different way of life, I think it’s exciting for him.

‘I’m sure there’s an element of him that’s completely s**t scared as well.’

Cotchin also joked that Martin would join forces with a famous musician mate of his.

‘I’ve heard reports that he might go and do some DJing with Fisher, but I don’t know how true that is,’ he said, referring to the high-profile producer Martin partied with after Richmond’s 2020 flag win.

Cotchin (pictured right, with Martin, after winning the 2020 AFL grand final) retired last year – giving him a unique perspective on what ‘Dusty’ will encounter in life after footy

Martin’s next moves after calling time on his 15-year career with the Tigers have been the subject of intense speculation.

There is a school of thought that the retirement announcement is just a smokescreen for a reunion with former coach Damien Hardwick at the Gold Coast Suns.

Carlton great Brendan Fevola predicted that would be the case months ago after Martin’s 300th game.

‘My mail is that he will retire after he plays his 300th game,’ he said on The Fox’s Fifi, Fev & Nick radio show in May.

‘Say thank you to the Richmond fans after his 300th. Have a couple of months off. Get fit. Get his head right. 

‘His manager has been looking at real estate in the Gold Coast for Dusty to move up and re-kindle his friendship with [Richmond premiership coach] Damien Hardwick, who now coaches the Gold Coast Suns.

Martin (pictured with his mum Kathy before running out for his 300th AFL match) has been the subject of intense speculation about what he’ll do in retirement

‘He’ll be getting paid a lot of money to go up to the Gold Coast, sit at full-forward, help those young kids; they’ve never played finals before in their history. So, they’ll get him up there and be the centrepiece of Queensland football.’

Other options Martin could pursue include getting a job as an AFL commentator, with broadcasters sure to be chasing him given his status in the game.

He could also take on a coaching role in an assistant or advisory position to someone like Hardwick on the Gold Coast.

But given Martin’s notoriously private nature and dislike of the spotlight, there’s a good chance he walks off into the sunset for good and enjoys life on his own terms.

‘Dusty’ is certainly set for life if he doesn’t want to work again, courtesy of his multi-million-dollar property portfolio.