from today's Australian...... it may be some time before we see the master and his new apprentice -- Trent Cotchin, 18 -- in the same team.
While the former West Coast captain and 2005 Brownlow medallist will play his first official match for almost 18 months, the Tigers' midfield star-in-the-making Cotchin is still being plagued by an achilles problem that will delay his start to the premiership season.
Richmond coach Terry Wallace said yesterday on Melbourne radio SEN that Cotchin, who created a huge impression last year in his first season, would not be ready to play in the opening round late next month.
"Trent's still off the track at the moment," Wallace said. "He's still struggling with his achilles. I shouldn't say he's struggling with it, but he certainly hasn't done the pre-season that we would have liked.
"He's just starting to ramp up his program again at the moment."
Cotchin has been restricted in his preparation since before Christmas and has yet to join in full training, something Tigers officials still cannot put a timeframe on as he continues on his modified program.
His achilles concerns are on the opposite leg to a similar injury last year that prevented the overall No2 national draft selection of 2007 making his debut until round eight.
So impressive were his first 15 games last year, when he averaged almost 17 disposals, the teenager finished third to Rhys Palmer and Cyril Rioli in the Ron Evans Medal, the AFL's rising star award. The Tigers won 11 games last season, but finished strongly by winning nine of 15 when Cotchin played. "If we're relying on Trent to get us over the line in the early rounds, I think we're not heading in the direction that we want to be heading in," Wallace said.
"We believe he's going to be a decade-plus player for us and he's 18, so we've got to be careful with him, make sure that he's absolutely 100 per cent right to play when he returns."
With Cotchin sitting in the stands for what is shaping as one of the biggest pre-season matches -- expected to draw an attendance of more than 40,000 -- Cousins is almost certain to take centre stage from the outset.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25102245-5012432,00.html