A more aggressive Trent Cotchin one of a few reasons behind Richmond’s six-game winning streak Mark Robinson
Herald Sun
August 16, 2014 IT WAS the day after the night before and Richmond had failed against Sydney at the MCG.
It had been a torrid Round 14 game. The Tigers booted 1.5 after half-time, played footy’s version of sideways and backwards and at 3-10 They had a bye in Round
, there were more critics than 45-year-old male fans wearing their Tigers jumpers over their flannelette shirts.
Then skipper Trent Cotchin fronted on SEN Radio.
There was nothing remarkable being said until Cotchin snapped back at a question about whether kicking a single goal in a half was good football.
It wasn’t anger. It was a more like a growl from a dog who was tired of his tail being yanked.
The retort became the subject of commentary. Garry Lyon loved it. So did Wayne Carey. So did David King. They loved that Cotchin was making stand in the face of incessant media bashing.
Coincidence or not, the Tigers have not lost a game since.
So much is dissected about why and when a team falters or surges.
Tigers coach Damien Hardwick has talked about attitude for the past month. It reflects in their contested ball and hardball numbers. But it has to start somewhere.
It is said that Ivan Maric is one of the catalysts. He’s the general, he’s fit, he’s big and he’s contagiously enthusiastic. There’s Anthony Miles in the past eight weeks. There’s Alex Rance at centre half-back who played only four games in the first 10. And Brandon Ellis. And Brett Deledio forward. And Dusty’s season.
Tick. Tick. Tick.
The leadership of Cotchin cannot be ignored, either.
He did it tough for the first half of the season and because of it, there wasn’t a captain in the competition under the spotlight like Cotchin.
Trent Cotchin in full flight against Brisbane in Round 16. Picture :WAYNE LUDBEY
Cotchin had a quiet start to the 2014 season. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: News Corp Australia
The pressure came early. The Tigers lost three of their first four games and late in the Round 4 game against Collingwood Cotchin lashed out at his tagger Brent Macaffer, swiping him off the ball.
There were two ways to look at it. 1) Macaffer got to him or 2) Cotchin took a stand.
Would like to think it was the latter, but suspect it was the former, and suspect it was a snapshot of the pressure of leading a team was quickly caving under expectation.
From there the Tigers gasped for victories and it probably didn’t get any more damning than in Round 12, when the Tigers went in at half-time six goals ahead of North Melbourne and lost by 28 points.
Come Sydney and Cotchin finally had enough of the sniping of his football club
The Richmond players would’ve heard the interview or heard about it and you have to wonder what sort of impact it had internally.
Jack Riewoldt recently said of his captain: “We’ve developed a bit of steely resolve and I suppose all of the credit, or most of the credit has got to go to the captain.
“We’ve done a lot of personal feedback over the last three months and a lot of it has been public in terms of us talking to Trent saying we want him to demand more from us.”
Leadership comes easy for some and certainly in various forms.
Joel Selwood, Luke Hodge, Mark Ricuitto and Michael Voss were likely descendants of the Vikings. Kill or be killed.
Wayne Carey, James Hird, Jonathan Brown and Stephen Kernahan led by deeds
Nick Maxwell, Richie Vandenberg, Stu Maxfield and Tom Harley were team-first characters.
Cotchin is not like any of them, yet
Mainly because he’s young — he’s 24 and been captain for only 43 games — and his leadership is a journey to be explored and enhanced.
Hardwick told the Herald Sun this week: “We always felt he would grow into the role and it is the same for any young leader in any walk of life.”
One champion captain, who didn’t want to be named, said Cotchin reminded him of himself in the formative years.
He said you find yourself captaining by consensus. That you try to instil your beliefs without upsetting anyone. Then one day it clicks: “Of course, you still listen to advice, still take feedback, but you say, ‘F--k it, I’m doing this ... we’re all doing this.’’
What is leadership? A textbook description is: “It involves defining the direction of a team and communicating it to people, motivating, inspiring and empowering them to contribute to achieving organisational success.’’
Of course, football leadership is so much more. It is about inspiring and empowering, but it’s also about pointing the finger at your mate for not putting his head over the ball. It’s about challenging a man’s mettle as a footballer and a teammate in a brutal environment.
Internally, the Tigers have noted a more aggressive attitude from Cotchin.
Said Hardwick: “Trent understands he can’t take it all on himself and those around him understand they have to lead as well.”
In another interview, the day after Tyrone Vickery belted Dean Cox, we heard a more ruthless Cotchin. While he stressed he didn’t condone Vickery’s actions, he was pragmatic enough to know — and courageous enough to say it — that Cox being off the ground gave the Tigers an edge, which they had to try to exploit.
Garry Lyon didn’t like that comment, nor did a lot of people.
I thought, despite the horror of the hit and despite Cotchin’s awkward explanation, it was something a young Viking would say.
http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-premiership/a-more-aggressive-trent-cotchin-one-of-a-few-reasons-behind-richmonds-sixgame-winning-streak/story-e6frf3e3-1227025716048
