The three-time Norm Smith medallist is also dealing with a foot injury and won't feature in Friday night's match against the Western Bulldogs, but he's expected to return to face Geelong in Round Eight.<\/p>\n
Martin will visit his dad Shane Martin, who in 2016 was deported from Australia to New Zealand for his involvement in bikie gangs, in line with the trans-Tasman travel bubble.<\/p>\n
The pair haven't seen each other in more than a year.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Tigers coach Damien Hardwick said the club had weighed up the risks associated with Martin travelling to New Zealand during the COVID-19 pandemic, but had concluded that allowing the Brownlow medallist to share time with his dad would be worth the potential fall-out.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
"It's a no-brainer for us," Hardwick told reporters.<\/p>\n
"He'll head back to see his dad. He hasn't seen him for a long period of time.<\/p>\n
"It's a little bit like everyone else; he's travelling back to see his dad, who just happens to be overseas.<\/p>\n
"I know it's a little bit challenging with these COVID times, but we'll always support our player who wants to see his family."<\/p>\n
The trans-Tasman bubble allows residents of Australia and New Zealand to travel between the countries without having to quarantine.<\/p>\n
But it could be shut down if there's an outbreak of the coronavirus in either country.<\/p>\n
"All the contingencies have been worked through but there is a very, very small probability that it happens," Hardwick said.<\/p>\n
"At the end of the day, you can live your life in fear or you can choose to live. We choose to live."<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Martin was concussed when he was collected by a stray arm at a third-quarter stoppage in the Demons clash, which ended his 250th game on a sour note.<\/p>\n
The four-time All Australian isn't allowed to compete in this week's match against the Bulldogs due to the AFL's new 12-day concussion protocol.<\/p>\n
Richmond won just three of their first six games of the season, falling to Sydney, Port Adelaide and Melbourne, and now sit seventh on the ladder.<\/p>\n
Martin began the season in tremendous fashion, tallying 31 touches and two goals in Round One before recording 28 disposals and a goal in Round Two, but his form since has been patchy.<\/p>\n
Hardwick indicated that Martin's foot injury was a factor in his dip in form, saying it had affected his explosiveness.<\/p>\n
Port Adelaide great Kane Cornes told Nine's Footy Classified<\/em> this week that Richmond captain Trent Cotchin must lift in Martin's absence<\/a>.<\/p>\n For a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by<\/strong><\/em> clicking here!<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"