Whilst I don't think Cotch is a great captain, we did win 15 games last year with him at the helm.
Its true. But how many losses did we have without Deledio playing but with Cotchin leading? We were poor at the start of the last two seasons and the common factor was the absence of Deledio.
Deledio makes the players around him play better. He actually provides leadership. He also leads by example. You don't see him running hard to get cheap possessions and then cruising when he gets the ball and playing hot potato. Deledio would be a miles better captain. You swap him and Cotchin last week and the swans would have pumped us.
The leadership group is a euphemism for Hardwick's captain calls. It was a captain's call by Hardwick that Cotchin got the job just as it was a captain's call by Hardwick that Jack was kicked out of the leadership group for openly questioning his moronic game plan.
As to Cotchin's performance, like Morris, he really has struggled from not being able to dive into peoples legs for free kicks. He is still adapting to having to win the ball honestly and not having it gifted to him. His poor disposal and decision making makes his team mates reluctant to give it to him but they are being forced to. He can be a good player when he goes hard. He just doesn't go hard often enough. He needs to harden up. He is no captain though. Last three final's series proved that. Soft when it counts.
