Trent Cotchin [merged]

[Infamy]

There are some serious questions on Palmers kicking now. Even Harvey has come out and said that Palmer may have fatigue setting in and they'll look at resting him. If Cotchin can finish the year out he'll be a very very good chance. There are no real question marks on him like there are on Palmer and the award is not for the best standout year, but the young player they believe will go on to be the best player.

[TFL]

He is very much a front runner is Palmer, i watched him closely last night and he doesnt like getting into a contest when he hasnt got the footy.

Heath Black Mk 2

[Infamy]

Everyone knew that going into the draft though, he was never drafted to be a ball winner and I'd be a little scared of long term injury concerns if he was getting up from the bottom of packs in his first year of AFL. He'll still be a bloody good player, he has all the tools to be outstanding if he can fix his kicking. All he needs is some more composure when disposing.

[mightytiges]

There are some serious questions on Palmers kicking now. Even Harvey has come out and said that Palmer may have fatigue setting in and they'll look at resting him. If Cotchin can finish the year out he'll be a very very good chance. There are no real question marks on him like there are on Palmer and the award is not for the best standout year, but the young player they believe will go on to be the best player.

Yeah Palmer's kicking was shocking last night. Shanked kick after kick even on his good side. Mind you he had 40 players around him doing the same in the worst footy game ever.

[mightytiges]

In the words of Bruce ....... Cotch is speeeeeeeecialllllllllll! 25 possies and 7 clearances on the big ground like Subi without a preseason behind him. Freak! 

[pmac21]

Freak footballer, is already in our best 5 and most influential players.

[Hellenic Tiger]

Future captain of the footy club.
Just a freak and a real special talent and player. With a pre season behind him will be virtually unstoppable. Good enough to beat the second year year blues. Hopefully it won't get to his head. Just pure silk.

[TFL]

Give him a 10 year contract!!!!

[Ox]

Will be a Robert Harvey type.

Tried all day and was great @ some centre clearances

[Stripes]

Incredible effort to play in the guts and not only compete but be a standout. Like pmac already stated -he is already one of our best - incredible!

Stripes

[jezza]

Has the Ablett (Snr & Jnr) hunchback. Certain to be a star.

[richmondrules]

Love seeing the guy absolutely spent at the stoppages, but in the next play there he is throwing himself in or breaking away from the pack as if he was as fresh as a daisy. Class act that boy. 

[one-eyed]

Mark Harvey said tonight that Rhys Palmer may be out for the rest of the season. Some problem with cartilage in his knee. Word on BF is he is out for the year.

http://www.watoday.com.au/sport/palmer-in-doubt-as-mcmanus-nears-the-end-20080720-3i85.html

You don't want footballers to suffer injuries but it opens up the Rising Star again if Palmer was to miss the rest of the season.

[one-eyed]

Cotchin's start the best ever: Royal
richmondfc.com.au
By David Reed
2:54 PM Fri 01 August, 2008

SEASONED assistant coach Brian Royal has given Richmond teenager Trent Cotchin the ultimate wrap, describing his first 10 games as the best start he has ever seen.

Cotchin joined the Tigers with the second pick of the 2007 NAB AFL Draft and made a round-eight debut against Geelong; the club Richmond renews acquaintances with on Saturday night.

"I have been involved in the game for over 20 years and he is quite unique in the talent that he has got," Royal said of Cotchin from Punt Road on Friday morning.

"I think Richmond is going to have a very, very good player for a long, long time."

Royal was happy to compare Cotchin with the stand-out youngster of the decade, Carlton captain Chris Judd – who made his way to West Coast with pick No. 3 in the 2001 draft.

"I don’t think he is winning the same amount of ball as (Chris) Judd but what you’ll see with Trent is that when he gets it, something happens.

"He has got the composure that Chris Judd has."

Judd won the 2004 Brownlow Medal and the 2005 Norm Smith Medal with the Eagles and led that club to a premiership a year later.

Royal said Cotchin's talent was so polished that it affected the way he went about coaching him.

"I have a fair bit to do with Trent because I coach the midfield," Royal said.

"From a coachability point-of-view, you probably don’t have to coach him because he is that natural about the way he plays.

"I am very hesitant to give him advice because I just don’t want to take that natural instinct that he has got of being able to win the ball and the composure that he shows.

"It is like he has been in the game for five or six years."

Royal forecast that the fight for this year's NAB AFL Rising Star award would be a race between Cotchin, Fremantle’s Rhys Palmer and Hawthorn’s Cyril Rioli.

But he conceded the broken ankle that delayed Cotchin's start to his senior career might count against him.

"Trent has been outstanding particularly given that he missed a fair amount of the pre-season and came in late," Royal said.

"Palmer has been in pretty good form and so has Rioli.

"But there is no doubt it is a three-horse race and Trent’s form in the last few games will play a major part in who finishes with the award."

Cotchin has kicked eight goals from his 10 games and has averaged just under 17 possessions.

http://www.richmondfc.com.au/tabid/6301/Default.aspx?newsid=64611

[mightytiges]

I wish we wouldn't compare our players to others especially a Judd even though Cotch is a super talented footballer. Let's make Cotch the one and only Trent Cotchin and hopefully have others comparing players to him instead in 5-10 years time.