Dustin Martin to be reunited with his father for the first time in two years after he was deported from Australia over bikie links – but will he be taking his new girlfriend?
- Dustin Martin to travel to New Zealand to see his father for first time since 2019
- AFL superstar’s father Shane was deported in 2016 due to criminal bikie links
- Martin suffered a concussion and left the field on weekend against Melbourne
- The 29-year-old will have to sit out of training and matches for 12 days
- Martin’s new model girlfriend Jessica Gomes could be accompanying him to NZ
Injured AFL superstar Dustin Martin will be reunited with his father after being separated from the deported former bikie for two years due to the pandemic.
Rumours swirled that this trip to New Zealand will be when his new model girlfriend finally meets his dad for the first time.
Martin has been spotted around Melbourne with former Sports Illustrated model Jessica Gomes and it’s believed the pair have been dating for several weeks.
The three-time premiership winner left the field in the third quarter on the weekend against Melbourne with a concussion and will spend 12 days on the sidelines as part of the mandatory head knock protocol.
Injured AFL superstar Dustin Martin is set to be reunited with his father after being unable to see the deported former bikie for more than 18 months due to the pandemic
Martin and model Jessica Gomes (pictured) are believed to have been dating for several weeks and have been spotted around Melbourne at restaurants and bars
Shane Martin (right), the father of AFL star Dustin (left) was deported in 2016 over his criminal past and bikie links and have not been able to see each other since the pandemic began
The 29-year-old is using the window to visit his father Shane, who was deported to NZ in 2016 for his ties to the Rebels bikie gang of which he was a member for 14 years.
The Richmond Tigers midfielder will not have to quarantine either direction thanks to the travel bubble in place between the neighbouring nations, but it remains to be seen whether Gomes, 35, will accompany him across the ditch.
The pair were recently spotted together in Melbourne at a series of restaurants and bars, and are believed to be dating.
Martin, who is notoriously private about his live life, is a Bonds model and Gomes has represented the brand in the past and it’s believed they met at a photoshoot.
Martin’s teammate Jack Riewoldt confirmed the reigning and three-time Norm Smith medallist would be travelling to NZ on AFL 360 on Tuesday night, saying he and the club were wary of the risks of a potential new outbreak.
‘He hasn’t seen him for 18 months and I assume that if it comes to it, the club would be more than happy to let him go,’ Riewoldt told the program.
‘He’s obviously going to miss this week and there’s more important things than football.’
The league told Richmond that Martin didn’t need a clearance because of the Trans-Tasman travel bubble, which has been in place since April 19.
Martin, 29, hasn’t seen his father since 2019 when he visited New Zealand after winning the grand final against Greater Western Sydney
Martin is a current Bonds model, while Gomes (pictured) has represented the brand in the past and it’s believed they may have met while doing a shoot
Martin is a three-time premiership winner and Norm Smith medallist for the Tigers
The 29-year-old makes annual visits to New Zealand to see father Shane, usually after winning grand finals, but hasn’t been able to since beating Greater Western Sydney in the 2019 finale due to coronavirus.
His dad’s criminal record past – which includes aggravated assault charges and drug trafficking – made him one of 20 bikies deported under Australia’s Immigration Act of 2016 that allowed foreign citizens to expelled on bad character grounds.
In 2017 then-immigration Minister Peter Dutton said he was briefed on Shane Martin’s reasons for deportation and will never change his decision.
Shane Martin watched each of his son’s three premiership wins from New Zealand on television.
‘I love my dad and he’s made me the man I am today,’ Dustin Martin told St Kilda great Nick Riewoldt on Fox Footy in early 2021.
‘I’ve got full belief he’ll back here to watch us win another flag.’
It is believed Tigers coach Damien Hardwick will confirm the visit at his weekly media briefing on Wednesday.
Mr Martin’s AFL premiership-winning son Dustin (pictured) has always been a fierce campaigner for his father’s return to the country the 29-year-old grew up in
Dustin Martin (left) could be about to get on a plane to New Zealand to visit his dad, thanks to the Trans-tasman travel bubble
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