Terry's Whisper - 5/9/12 - Will The Next Tigers Captain Drag Them Back To Finals Success?Posted by A Positive Move Pty Ltd on 5 September 2012The 2012 AFL season once again ground to a frustrating conclusion for the Richmond faithful at the MCG on the weekend. Instead of a predictable victory against the lowly Port Adelaide team which would see the Tigers jump over arch rivals Essendon and Carlton on the AFL Ladder, the team threw away another victory in the dying seconds to show once again that they do not have the maturity to close out games and had to put up with an exasperating draw to end the year.
This young Richmond team are statistically comfortably in the best eight teams in the AFL. When you look through all the key indicators that clubs and football divisions rate the Tigers are placed extremely high but one thing that doesn’t lie is the AFL Ladder and through dropping unlosable games Richmond find themselves once again in 12th position. Something clearly needs to change in the future and I have a gut feeling this is just about to occur.
The Exiting Skipper - Chris NewmanWhen I left the club many people believed there was ill feeling from my end towards Chris as he was a part of a conversation about whether or not it was time for me to go. In fact not only did I have no issue with the conversation I believed it showed strength of character by the captain as he was only trying to look after both the club and the playing list that were going to continue their journey, where at the time it was clear that my involvement was coming to an end.
I appointed Chris as captain of the Richmond Football Club obviously along with management and board approval. At the time the club was really struggling both on and off the field and we needed a strong leader to get the young group through a very difficult time. Chris took up the challenge and although the club still hasn’t had any finals joy he has directed the team to the point where they should be now mature enough to stand on their own two feet. On the weekend prior to the game ‘Newy’ announced that he was stepping down as captain of the club. I am not privy to the reasons behind his decision as I am a great believer in once you are out of a club you let the boys get on with their lives under the new coach and keep your distance, but this does not mean that you don’t watch every single game with great interest as you have invested a lot of time and energy into the boys that you coached. My gut feel is that Chris looked to be struggling a little with his own form in the back half of the year and it wouldn’t surprise me if his body was very sore as he only knows one way to play and that is body on the line every time. Sometimes a player must think about getting his body and game right first to actually give the best to his club and I believe that the time was right for ‘Newy’ to concentrate on exactly that.
The other factor for me was that Chris Newman deep down knew that he had another leader of men in the ranks and one who has just broken out of his football cocoon and blossomed into a genuine superstar of the game. He had comfort in stepping aside as he knew that the next leader was more than ready to take over the crown.
Supporters outside of the Richmond faithful probably don’t rate Newman very highly but I was really pleased when a month or so ago Scott Pendlebury wrote an article in the Herald Sun describing the perfect footballer. That player had the poise of Goodes, the balance of Ablett etc but when it came to leadership Scott wrote that his player should have the leadership of Chris Newman. It is obvious that his peers truly do understand his value out on the field.
All Hail The New King - Trent CotchinThe Tigers now have some exciting and talented players within their ranks. Coleman Medallist Jack Riewoldt, star midfielder and multiple best and fairest winner Brett Deledio but the standout from a captaincy point of view is certainly Trent Cotchin. From the day he was drafted and arrived at Punt Road he had leadership qualities written all over him. His body took him a few years to mature and allow him to gain enough strength and residual fitness to realise his potential but now he is one of the stars of the game and a certain All Australian selection in my opinion.
He is a player that others will follow and has not only the capabilities to impact when it counts but the genuine star power and leadership to drive this club to victory in the future. The scary prospect for opposition clubs is that I do not think that he has got close to his full potential as yet and believe that he will take the throne as the best midfielder away from Gary Ablett in the next few years which is a big statement but one I am comfortable making. The Tigers are desperate for some finals action and Trent Cotchin is the man to direct them into September in the future.
Why Does The Captain Need To Wear Guernsey Number 17?I was at the club when Jack Dyer passed away and the Richmond administration honoured him by announcing that the captain of Richmond in the future would wear jumper number 17. At the time I think it was very respectful and the right thing to do for a period and players such as Wayne Campbell, Kane Johnson and Chris Newman have honoured Captain Bloods memory but to me it is now time for the club to move forward and be more about creating some of its own current history rather than living in the past. This does not mean there is any less respect for the Tigers favourite hero but I truly believe that the great Jack Dyer, who I knew, would also say to his club it’s time to move on and be your own men and create your own legend.
Trent Cotchin is carving his own history in the number 9. He may very well be the best number 9 to ever represent the club and as captain I believe he should be able to keep this number. Kevin Bartlett was synonymous for jumper number 29, Matthew Richardson for jumper number 12 and many others have made their mark in history with their own numbers. It just wouldn’t be right to see the great KB running around with any other number so I am hoping that the club will allow Trent Cotchin if and when he is selected as their next leader and captain to pave his own way and we see the number 9 leading the ‘yellow and black’ out onto a sunbathed MCG deep into September in the near future.
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