Young Tigers bust gut (Herald-Sun)

[one-eyed]

Young Tigers bust gut
Scott Gullan | October 30, 2008

MENTION the name Trent Cotchin to any Richmond fan and get ready for the gushing to begin. After just 15 games the teenager has been identified as Richo's replacement for the role of messiah at Punt Rd.

And the news is not good for those who have already had enough of Cotchin-mania from Tiger fans.

Cotchin yesterday revealed that instead of spending the off-season with his feet up contemplating a brilliant debut season, he kept training. And training. And training.

Together with fellow youngsters Jack Riewoldt and Daniel Connors, Cotchin has been running around the Tan and cycling around Melbourne's streets to get his body ready for the rigours of AFL football.

"I felt like I missed a fair bit last year, so I wanted to make up as much ground as I could in the off-season," he said. "So I trained pretty much every day.

"Obviously, we were careful not to do too much so the body didn't get too sore, but we did a fair bit of running. We went together as a little group and did three main runs a week and then on the off days we were doing the bike."

The results were on show yesterday morning at Ocean Grove as the Tigers' first to third-year players completed a mini-triathlon of beach running and ocean swimming.

Cotchin's new-found endurance and ripped physique had the assembled coaching panel rubbing their hands together in excitement.

Their theory is that the arrival of Cotchin and the professionalism the 18-year-old brings to the table will ensure fellow midfield stars Brett Deledio and Nathan Foley will be forced to raise the bar during the pre-season to keep the young challenger at bay.

Last year's No. 2 draft pick did not make his debut until Round 8 after missing the entire pre-season because of a foot injury. He then played every game, averaging 16 disposals and four marks.

"I blew up a lot in games this year," Cotchin said.

"So I wasn't able to play 70 or 80 per cent of the game, I was more 50 to 60. So I just want to be able to have the fitness base that I can work with next season.

"I was about 87kg last season for the last three or four games and I've gone back down to 83kg, which is where I want to be. I feel my running has improved from running around the Tan and those sorts of things. I definitely feel a lot better."

Cotchin's original goal for his debut season had been to play just one game, but his focus is more team-orientated for 2009.

"When I did have the injury and didn't do much of the pre-season, I was just hoping to play one senior game, just get a taste of it, really, and then set myself for next year," he said.

"Obviously, I enjoyed the year, and winning a fair few games in the second half of the season brings a lot of excitement to the group.

"The intensity was at the highest level you could possibly get, and I really just enjoyed my footy with a bunch of great blokes that I get along really well with."

While Cotchin impressed yesterday, the standout was young defender Alex Rance, son of former Footscray defender Murray, who streeted the competition in the time-trial.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,24573031-19742,00.html

[Chuck17]

Good to hear Connors doing a bit extra.

Can't wait to see Rance in the side.

I honestly don't know how the young kids keep their head out of the clouds hearing some of the media hype that goes on.  I have heard that is one area Kane Johnson is good at in keeping the young fella's focused on the job at hand.

[wayne]

Together with fellow youngsters Jack Riewoldt and Daniel Connors, Cotchin has been running around the Tan and cycling around Melbourne's streets to get his body ready for the rigours of AFL football.

This was the bit that has gotten me excited, a fully fit Dan Connors in his 3rd season could start to rip it up.

[Ball!]

Fantasic news on all accounts 

To hear Cotchin has been training all off season is great. He seems like a pretty motivated so to tell you the truth  didn't expect any less. Jack Riewoldt also seems pretty motivated and probably realises he has to work on his speed and tank.

The most impressive is Dan Conners. A player who has been rumored to have a bad attitude is right up there training with them.

The news about Rance is also great. To have a first year player winning such a trial is great. I would have liked one of our 3rd year boys in their though - JON, Whitey and Cleve

[wayne]

The news about Rance is also great. To have a first year player winning such a trial is great. I would have liked one of our 3rd year boys in their though - JON, Whitey and Cleve

Are they classed as 3rd or 4th year now?

They are about to play their 4th season.

[one-eyed]

Young Tigers on prowl at Ocean Grove
Geelong Advertiser
Bradley Green
October 30th, 2008

IT'S back to business this week for the young guns of the 16 AFL clubs.

Pre-season training is underway for the players with between one and three years' experience, so Richmond opted to send its group to the Bellarine Peninsula to begin preparing for the 2009 season.

Seventeen of the Tigers' next generation have spent a couple of days at the 13th Beach Golf Links before being put through a gruelling early-morning training session along the beach at Ocean Grove yesterday.

The group included rising stars such as Trent Cotchin, Jack Riewoldt, Shane Edwards and Cleve Hughes.

Overseeing the start of their campaign were Richmond's assistant coaches, Brian Royal, David King and Wayne Campbell, and the Tigers' VFL coach, Jade Rawlings.

Royal said it had been a good bonding exercise for both the players and the coaches.

"From a coaching point of view, it's a good chance for us to mix with the younger kids who you probably didn't have a lot to do with throughout the 2008 season," Royal said.

"There was probably only a handful of them that were playing AFL footy and the rest of the guys were playing at VFL level.

"So it's been great for us as coaches to socialise with them and get to understand them a lot better. They're fantastic kids. They're vibrant and they're enthusiastic and they just want the chance to be a part of the club."

Royal said players such as Riewoldt and Cotchin, the number two pick in last year's national draft who played 15 games in his debut season and finished third in the AFL Rising Star award, were the future of the club.

"We've still got some very senior and experienced players out there, but within probably the next 12 to 18 months, some of those players may not be around," Royal said.

"So, it's hugely important that these guys can take the step for us if we are going to continue on where we finished off last year.

"Our youth is our future and we think we've done pretty well over the last four years with the draft."

http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2008/10/30/27535_geelong_sports.html

[mightytiges]

The news about Rance is also great. To have a first year player winning such a trial is great. I would have liked one of our 3rd year boys in their though - JON, Whitey and Cleve

Are they classed as 3rd or 4th year now?

They are about to play their 4th season.

Yep it's based on what they've done. Otherwise there wouldn't be any first year players as we haven't drafted them yet  .

1st: Cotchin, Rance, Putt
2nd: Jack, Edwards, Connors, Collins, Gourdis, King, Collard
3rd:  JON, Cleve, Whitey, Gus

[one-eyed]

Tigers at Thirteenth Beach
By Adrian Ceddia
 8:21 PM Thu 30 October, 2008

Richmond’s young guns were put through their paces over two days at Barwon Heads this week to kick off the pre-season ahead of the 2009 campaign.

Players with 1-3 years of completed service with the Club participated in a variety of activities, challenges and training tasks at Thirteenth Beach Resort on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The group, including rising stars Trent Cotchin, Jack Riewoldt, Shane Edwards, Matthew White and Alex Rance, enjoyed a round of golf, completed a mini triathlon of beach running and swimming, and tested their minds with a team challenge around the Barwon Heads township.

The players also met with coach Terry Wallace, who offered feedback on issues relating to football performance.

Richmond Elite Performance Manager Matt Hornsby oversaw the mini triathlon, and was impressed with the output of the players in their first week back from the off-season break.

“Prior to the camp, our aims were to educate the 1-3 year players on the focus of the pre- season and what the Club expected of them,” Hornsby said.

“We were impressed by what we saw. We were only there for two days, but we definitely got what we wanted out of it.

“It was important for the young group to get away, get together and work hard. We want the players to continue to develop a stronger camaraderie when they train.”

Rance emerged as the winner of the beach challenge, followed by Cameron Howat, Andrew Collins, Cotchin and White.

Richmond players with 4-7 years of service returned to the track on Thursday, while players with eight or more years’ experience will resume training on Thursday, November 6.

http://www.richmondfc.com.au/tabid/6301/Default.aspx?newsid=69445

[wayne]

Serial Richmond hater Greg Denham was just on SEN.

He said Cotchin is the next Judd and already rates him ahead of Gibbs and Murphy.

He is also re-assessing where the Tigers will finish this year after seeing Cotchin in his budgie smugglers looking super fit.

[tigersalive]

Serial Richmond hater Greg Denham was just on SEN.

He said Cotchin is the next Judd and already rates him ahead of Gibbs and Murphy.

He is also re-assessing where the Tigers will finish this year after seeing Cotchin in his budgie smugglers looking super fit.

All it takes for the Denham hater to suddenly become a Cotchin lover is to see him in the togs?  Something else you want to tell us, Greg?   

[richmondrules]

Serial Richmond hater Greg Denham was just on SEN.

He said Cotchin is the next Judd and already rates him ahead of Gibbs and Murphy.

He is also re-assessing where the Tigers will finish this year after seeing Cotchin in his budgie smugglers looking super fit.

Cotchin is the next Cotchin and will be much better than Judd. Get sick and tired of every young footballer who shows something being compared to Judd.

How do you reassess where a team will finish by watching a player run in the surf? Just confirms my opinion of footy journalists "analysis" (and I use that word very loosely) and opinions.

[Chuck17]

Cotchin is the next Cotchin and will be much better than Judd. Get sick and tired of every young footballer who shows something being compared to Judd.

How do you reassess where a team will finish by watching a player run in the surf? Just confirms my opinion of footy journalists "analysis" (and I use that word very loosely) and opinions.

Amen RROFO Good post

[mightytiges]

I wish Denham had said Cotch is a dud as at least then he would be consistent (-ly wrong that is  ).

Are we still cutting back in our footy dept Greg? 

[one-eyed]

On SEN last night they (I think it was Finey and co) were drooling in a footy sense lol over Cotchin's workrate and attitude from that pic and story in the Herald-Sun. Pumping him up big time as the next biggest thing in the AFL.

[WilliamPowell]

The news about Rance is also great. To have a first year player winning such a trial is great. I would have liked one of our 3rd year boys in their though - JON, Whitey and Cleve

At the Coburg B&F the other week JON had his arm in a sling after an op to clean up his shoulder... don't think he'd be able to compete in the triathlon stuff