Richmond footballer Dustin Martin is begging the Federal Government to allow his dad to return to Australia from his exile in New Zealand.

Shane Martin, a former Rebels motorcycle club president, was deported last March when officials ruled he was not of ‘good character’ and removed him from the country.

Martin, speaking on Channel 9, said the deportation of his father was ‘stupid.’

He said he missed him.

‘He’s not what he might look like,’ Martin said.

‘To have that taken away…

‘You see all the other guys with their parents in the rooms after the game and I don’t even have my dad there.

‘It’s pretty sad.’