Richmond skipper Trent Cotchin insists the Tigers are finals material Jay Clark
From: Herald Sun
June 27, 2013 RICHMOND captain Trent Cotchin says the Tigers are capable of breaking their decade-long finals drought.
The Tigers have passed the mid-point of the season with an 8-4 record and are in their best position to play finals since 2001.
But the midfielder said the side must perform better against the top teams to deserve a finals berth, after falling short against Geelong, Fremantle and Collingwood.
Port Adelaide remains the only top-eight team that Damien Hardwick's men have toppled this year, leaving the Tigers with greater challenges ahead.
"I think our best football is at a high enough quality to compete (at finals standard). It's just whether or not you do it for four quarters," Cotchin said yesterday.
"We have seen this year where we have played some of the top teams and we have let ourselves down in the way we've performed on game day.
"So at any given stage you have to make sure you are doing everything right and sometimes a little bit of luck has to fall your way as well."
Cotchin credited the improvement of the team's mid-tier players for Richmond's resurgence, saying greater depth had eased the dependence on several star players.
"The greatest thing for our club is a lot of our young guys have stood up this year," Cotchin said.
"A number of our players in the past have tried to drag us along. It (shared load) is fantastic; it's what you see in all the good sides. Not saying we are quite at that level yet, but we are definitely heading in the right direction."
Cotchin, 23, has led impressively in his first season as skipper. He also dispelled fears about a nagging knee injury that sidelined him in Round 7.
Asked if he was still sore, Cotchin said: "Not at all. Everyone keeps asking me, so I must be playing a little bit below standard.
"The thing for me that's important is the team's getting results."
The Tigers want to continue their run of five wins from their past six games against St Kilda at the MCG on Sunday.
Last year Richmond notched its first victory against the Saints in 14 attempts.
The Tigers tackle North Melbourne the following week before clashes with Gold Coast, Fremantle, Sydney and Hawthorn.
"Who knows what opportunities will come about, but we are working on four-week blocks," Cotchin said.
"We are two weeks into one at the moment, and hopefully we can knock off the Saints this weekend."
* METHODIST Ladies' College, along with about 170 other schools around Victoria, will compete in the Herald Sun Shield school competitions from next month.
MLC won the Girls Sports Victoria competition to win its way into the knockout event.
Cotchin played for Penleigh Essendon Grammar in the 2006 and 2007 AFL Victoria Shield.
More than 4500 students will play this year.
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