Trent Cotchin exacts revenge on Adam Treloar, reminding the star midfielder Collingwood is no closer to a flag than RichmondSarah Olle
Foxsports
April 3, 2017And for Richmond skipper Trent Cotchin, it was exacted in the most satisfying of fashion against Adam Treloar on Thursday night at the MCG.
In defeating Collingwood by 19 points, the Tigers not only went 2-0 for only the third time since 1995, but reminded Treloar of the chasm that exists between the Magpies and a flag.
And if we hit rewind and contemplate what transpired in last year’s edition of the blockbuster fixture, that reminder was more than significant.
While the main storyline to arise from Collingwood’s one-point win in 2016 was Richmond’s utter capitulation, the subplot was Treloar’s war of words with the Tigers.
He picked to play for Collingwood over Richmond upon his return home to Victoria because the Magpies had, in his opinion, “a better list”.
With Richmond leading by 17 points in the 21st minute of the final quarter, Cotchin wasted no time in reminding Treloar of his apparently foolish statement.
But with Collingwood triumphant at the end of the match, Treloar was vindicated.
He ruffled up Cotchin’s hair after the siren — an exchange which was playful to some, patronising and disrespectful to others.
Yet some 355 days later, it was Cotchin who had the last laugh.
Not only did the Richmond skipper earn best on ground honours on Thursday, but he laid two huge tackles in the final term, both on his Collingwood counterpart.
“I thought he was outstanding, emphasised by his two last tackles on Treloar,” Damien Hardwick said of Cotchin after the 19-point win.
“Trent plays his best footy ... when he stalks the opposition. We saw that tonight. He started us off really well.
“I thought his last quarter was huge and that’s why his captain. He’s a really important leader for us.
“That’s when he plays his best footy when he (tackles hard). It’s great to have your skipper do it. You don’t have to get a response from anyone else. He just leads in that area.”
Cotchin had every right to rub Treloar’s head after the match, returning the audacious favour.
But that’s simply not his style.
Indeed, when interviewed after the win his first instinct was to praise the opposition.
“Collingwood are a fantastic side, we saw that throughout the JLT Series,” Cotchin said.
“They’ll win a lot of games this year, the Pies.”
The newly anointed 2012 Brownlow medallist has never been confrontational. He let’s his actions do the talking.
And while that was a slight on his captaincy last year when the Tigers were underperforming, that same criticism cannot be made of him in 2017. Even if we’re only two rounds in.
Cotchin racked up 26 disposals, seven clearances, eight inside 50s, two goals and laid a game-high seven tackles.
It was the kind of performance his 2012 season was built upon — the kind that made him one of the most promising young midfielders in the competition at only 22.
http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/trent-cotchin-exacts-revenge-on-adam-treloar-reminding-the-star-midfielder-collingwood-is-no-closer-to-a-flag-than-richmond/news-story/373e0bf5ebf4776f160b3ba1fb77ec32
