Liam Martin has confirmed he’ll sit out Australia’s end-of-season Ashes tour in England to be by his fiancée’s side for the birth of their first child.
The Panthers and New South Wales second-rower told the Sydney Morning Herald he’s made peace with the decision, with partner Chelsea due in October, the same month the Kangaroos are set to begin their three-Test series against England.
“We’re due in October – I’m pretty excited – but it means I’ll probably have to pull out of the Ashes,” Martin said.
“Given it’s the first baby, I don’t want to miss it. If it was in Australia, I’d definitely play, but given it’s on the other side of the world, Chelsea could divorce me before we’re even married.”
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Kangaroos left in limbo with no head coach
Martin’s absence is a blow to the national side, but his choice is also made easier by the current uncertainty surrounding the Kangaroos.
With no head coach in place after Mal Meninga’s exit and Brad Fittler pulling out of the running, the ARL Commission is scrambling for options.
Cameron Smith and Kevin Walters are believed to be the frontrunners, though speculation continues to grow that Wayne Bennett could be handed a one-off caretaker role, despite the NRL’s long-standing rule against club coaches holding the national post.
For Martin, though, the call was personal: “I love pulling on that green and gold jersey, but family comes first, so I made the decision early on,” he said. “It’s been in the back of my mind this year how I’ll need to try and leave a legacy for the family that they can be proud of.”