I have so many thoughts on this that have just propounded with a long day reading news and this thread, but all I will provide for now, what with the issue seemingly hotter than it has been all week, is my own personal conspiracy theory.
The Steps of this Mess:
1. Ralph Carr does a Ralph Carr - promises his client a stack of cash more than the club is willing to pay and says he'll go the distance to get that sum, like he did with Cloke. Promises the player won't have to move, and that though it might take a toll, they'll achieve their goal.
2. Like the Cloke saga, once this amount isn't met Carr tells the club he is looking at other options for his player to get what they (read: he) wants, with neither he nor the player ever really considering another club.
3. Now, the difference between last year and this year. Last year Collingwood folded, realised that they could not give up their most important player, and relented, just a little, to get Carr what he wanted. This year, with Martin and Cloke both very different in importance (and trouble) to their clubs, it didn't quite work out the same. Richmond called the bluff, knew his shit from last year with Cloke, and said they would not improve their offer, and went to the media to state that the offer was off the table and Martin is looking at other options.
4. Carr, stunned by this move and with few options, has to go ahead with his bluff as if it was real. Other clubs come calling, but he fends them off with sums that are too high and a lack of real interest as Dusty really wants to stay at Tigerland.
5. Carr then, in keeping with his phoney stance, has to do something he didn't have to with Cloke and Collingwood, and actually has to follow through on his threat. He organises some haphazard joke of a meeting with GWS, in which all the country knows that Martin is there, somehow with hundreds of photos being taken and all of the GWS powerbrokers present. Carr feigns heavy interest in the move, while he and Martin have no intention of actually going through with it, but rather using it as a last ditch attempt to get Richmond to raise their offer.
6. Over to the Tigers. They have 3 options. If they really want Martin, they can fall for this ruse and pay overs. Or they can put the original offer, which they know Martin wants, back on the table and hope he signs. Or, and this is quite possible, they have decided that they have had enough of all the bullshit, and choose to trade Martin even though both he and the club want to remain together.