Trent Cotchin could be in line for a massive contract extension with Richmond Jon Ralph
Herald Sun
November 18, 2014 8:00PMRICHMOND has signalled plans to lock captain and free agent Trent Cotchin away on a monster long-term deal.
And Dustin Martin is also ready to sign an extension having come back to the club in quality shape after his Las Vegas holiday with Dane Swan.
The Tigers yesterday announced their 10th consecutive profit — $1,329,530 — while also pouring an extra $1.9 million into the footy department for the 2014 season.
Cotchin and Alex Rance are the club’s high-profile free agents and Cotchin would fetch as much as $1 million a year to remain at Richmond.
He signed only a two-year deal in 2013 that saw him come out of contract in the first year he became a free agent but CEO Brendon Gale said talks were about to start.
“With Trent he is out of contract next year, he’s the captain of our club and best-and-fairest winner and we rate him very highly,’’ he said.
“We will sit down with Trent sooner rather than later to look at securing him for a long time, I would have thought.”
All-Australian Alex Rance is also a free agent at the end of next year and while Richmond is keen to start talks it is understood that won’t happen until post-Christmas.
Alex Rance playing touch rugby with teammates at pre-season training. Picture: Wayne Ludb
Alex Rance playing touch rugby with teammates at pre-season training. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: News Corp Australia
But he is an extremely loyal player whose parents have moved over from Perth, so seems little chance to leave the club if given the contract he deserves.
Martin was involved in a contact impasse last year but after a career-best season is happy to begin talks in the off-season on his deal.
He drew attention after posting a series of social media shots partying with Pies controversy magnet Swan in the off-season.
But his manager Ralph Carr said the pair actually trained together while away, with Martin coming back in excellent shape.
Martin finished third in the Jack Dyer Medal behind Cotchin this year, who became the youngest triple-winner in Richmond history.
Gale told SEN Radio yesterday the club still had a war-chest for a free agent next year but only on a targeted acquisition, not just to bring in a player for the sake of it.
http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-premiership/trent-cotchin-could-be-in-line-for-a-massive-contract-extension-with-richmond/story-e6frf3e3-1227127464782