Doubts made Trent Cotchin work harder Matt Windley
From: Herald Sun
March 28, 2012 WAITING for the first bounce in the Round 1 game against Carlton a year ago, Trent Cotchin had doubts about his standing in the AFL.
Injuries to his achilles and hip had limited his impact in his first three seasons and virtually ruined every summer training campaign.
But when the new Richmond vice-captain heads to the centre tomorrow night, those doubts will be gone.
Two injury-free pre-seasons on the bounce and a career-best year in 2011, in which he won the Tigers' best-and-fairest, have left the 22-year-old more confident than ever.
Where did Mike Sheahan rank Trent Cotchin in the Top 50?
And Cotchin knows his game can only get better.
"For me, I still think I've got definite ground to make up in fitness compared to a lot of elite midfielders in the competition," Cotchin said.
"You can always make your game better in some ways, so I'm always looking for different ways to get better.
"Just look at Chris Judd, he seems to get better every year.
"Last year it was just good to get 22 games into the body and all that does is give you confidence in your body going in to the season following.
"I think when you have the confidence in your body that you can put in a four-quarter effort, you can start to direct and drag guys along with you and that's critical in a young side."
Cotchin said the doubts he felt last year might have pushed his game to a new level.
"I think you always have doubts, but I think if you don't doubt yourself, you never work harder to get to that next level," the midfielder said.
"It was different for me last year. Because I had missed my first two pre-seasons, last year's was my first actual pre-season, even though it was still a bit modified.
"So I probably still had more confidence than I'd had in previous years. Now I've had a full season under my belt as well, and when you've got a good team in and around you, that always gives you that bit more hope and belief."
Cotchin said being appointed vice-captain during the off-season was not an honour, it was a responsibility.
And he didn't shy away from his ambition to captain the Tigers once Chris Newman has retired.
"Chris has done a fantastic job," Cotchin said.
"He went through a tough time when he was first put in to the captaincy role and obviously that helped him grow.
"He's been fantastic for, not only me, but the leadership group and all the younger players at the club. It's definitely something I aspire to be, a leader of the club, and when that time comes, if it comes, I'll grab it with both hands and hopefully make the most of it."
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/afl/more-news/doubts-made-trent-cotchin-work-harder/story-e6frf9jf-1226311773141
