Tigers need to 'nullify opposition guns', says Trent CotchinJennifer Phelan
afl.com.au
May 3, 2015 TRENT Cotchin says Richmond needs to learn how to "nullify the guns" at crucial stages in games after Geelong captain Joel Selwood was again the difference between the two sides on Saturday.
In round seven last year, Selwood was quiet until the final quarter before he lifted for nine touches and a crucial goal in the Cats' five-point win. On Saturday he was again well held until half-time by Shaun Grigg, before the Tigers abandoned the match-up to get their midfielder more into the game.
And again, Selwood stood up when he was needed the most, this time having a hand in two of three early Geelong goals that came from centre clearances.
Cotchin, who believes the areas the Tigers are being let down are still fixable, says ensuring their opponents don't get such easy passage from the centre clearances is something they have to narrow their focus on.
"It's probably just a matter of the way we position ourselves in there," Cotchin told AFL.com.au after the game. "There were a couple where 'Selwood brilliance' sort of creates something from nothing.
"We just need to nullify the guns at dying stages and hopefully that goes a long way to winning, whether or not you put a spare back or whatever. It's something we'll review and make sure we're in a better position next time it happens."
Coach Damien Hardwick said goals scored from centre clearances like the three kicked by Steven Motlop, Mitch Duncan and Steve Johnson, were "like a knife through your heart". After giving up five against Carlton in round one and four in total on Saturday, he said it was something the Tigers had to repair.
"It's hard to keep good players down," Hardwick said. "[Selwood] got them over the line last year and he got them over the line this year.
"It's a common theme, isn't it? He does it week in, week out.
"Our boys will rectify it, I've got no doubt, and we'll get it better because we're normally very good at it and it let us down today."
The Tigers were also hurt with inaccuracy in front of goal, with 10 inside-50s in the first quarter resulting in just five behinds.
Cotchin said the most frustrating part about the Tigers' past two weeks had been the fact most of the things they'd done wrong had been avoidable.
And, despite his own outstanding game where he lifted his team back into the contest with an 11-possession third quarter, he missed a set shot just before the final change and then shanked a kick off the ground with 22 seconds left.
"We've had plenty of opportunities the past two weeks in the first quarters, we just haven't capitalised," he said. "We'll do a bit of goal kicking work as well and make sure that we nail them.
"It's hard. It's a team game and the pressure is on the guy finishing the work off, but we just need to put ourselves in as close to the situation in training to make sure that we're better when it comes in the game – me included."
Rediscovering a "steely resolve" is something else Cotchin wants to see from his team, as he knows they believe in what they achieved over the pre-season.
He said while Saturday's defeat, which saw them slip to two wins and three losses, was disappointing, he said nothing was permanently broken at Punt Road.
"They are [fixable things]. I think that's the most disappointing and frustrating thing, that they're easily things we can control as a playing group," he said.
"That's the challenge for us, to make sure that we get better at it and we're more consistent in it as soon as we can.
"What we've seen in the first five rounds is that the competition is so even.
"You have to be at your best every week, no matter who the opposition is, playing four quarters.
"The boys have a lot of confidence in the work we've done over the summer and we know we can play good footy so it's just about taking that steely resolve and making sure we do it from the get go."
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2015-05-03/tigers-need-to-nullify-opposition-guns-says-trent-cotchin
