Trent Cotchin [merged]

[one-eyed]

“IT WAS GLARING”: DID RICHMOND AND COTCHIN MAKE THE RIGHT CALL TO PLAY ON IN 2023?

Hugh Fitzpatrick
SEN
15 April 2023

Did Richmond great Trent Cotchin make the right decision in playing on in 2023?

A superstar of the game, the Tigers decided to give the former captain a one-year deal late last year, extending his time at the club to a 16th season.

Battling with injury and form in 2022, Cotchin has struggled to get going this year, so much so that he was subbed out of his side’s Friday night loss to the Sydney Swans.

Averaging just 15 disposals this year and showing some signs of slowing down, Hawthorn great Dermott Brereton says he felt for the three-time premiership star but wonders whether he and Richmond made the right call in playing on in 2023.

“I felt for Trent Cotchin last night,” Brereton told SEN’s Crunch Time.

“It was one of those times I thought to myself 'what does the club think right now', because they would’ve had a chat with Trent in the off-season.

“From all the noise from when we’ve questioned this, it sounds like Trent Cotchin has been such a wonderful servant, the Richmond Football Club have left the choice in his hands.

“I saw Ollie Florent, who is your standard-paced league player, he ran away from Trent in the middle of the ground and it was glaring, when you get those one on one exposures it’s glaring that Trent can’t run anyone down.

“He’s still monstrous with the way he attacks the footy and the way he supplies that leadership which some teams lack so it can be valuable with what his assets still are but it was glaring that he physically couldn’t do the things that made him a great player.”

Richmond and Cotchin will be looking to get their season back on track on Monday night against Melbourne in their annual Anzac Day eve fixture.

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2023/04/15/it-was-glaring-did-richmond-and-cotchin-make-the-right-call-to-play-on-in/

[one-eyed]

NOT TIME FOR COTCH CALL

Scott Gullan
HeraldSun
15 April 2023

Life as a veteran on his last legs in the AFL is a tough gig.

Trent Cotchin and Richmond are about to find themselves in a week focussed on whether the premiership captain has done the wrong thing by playing on one extra year.

The sight of Cotchin being subbed off on Friday night was hard for Tigers fans to watch although given his poor output it was clearly the right decision by coach Damien Hardwick.

Turning Cotchin into a pressure forward hasn’t worked and the Brownlow Medallist hasn’t been able to find a way to be influential in the new midfield set-up playing alongside recruits Tim Taranto and Jacob Hopper.

Most will be quick to write him off but the fact is Richmond’s injury list is so long that Cotchin will have to play next week against Melbourne.

Geelong and Joel Selwood set the bar high on how to deal with an ageing superstar coming to the end. That is the template the Tigers need to tap into because there is no hiding in this game particularly when the rest of the team are only paddling as well.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/afl/early-tackle-scott-gullans-likes-and-dislikes-from-gather-round/news-story/e8e7f99f5719ad19fc3cf8c24aed6d27

[Damo]

Champion
Warrior
Tiger legend

After last year I thought another year was warranted
But the cliff came quicker than expected

Cotch isn’t the first champion and won’t he the last that has had this happen


Will retire a true tiger hero

[Andyy]

Don't stress about #300.

Retire for MSD IMO.

Play out the year in the VFL if allowed, mentoring the kids and drawing a big crowd to Magoos.

[camboon]

Wow,You want him to walk out the door so we can recruit someone who’s been overlooked or delisted previously  ,I see another list clogger on the way!
Maybe we can ask George to come back.
He may be injured or ill  and he has never been fast , why don’t we just give him a few weeks, not the first player to lose form , we have about 20

[Andyy]

Wow,You want him to walk out the door so we can recruit someone who’s been overlooked or delisted previously  ,I see another list clogger on the way!
Maybe we can ask George to come back.
He may be injured or ill  and he has never been fast , why don’t we just give him a few weeks, not the first player to lose form , we have about 20

I just don't see the value in dragging out a career to reach a milestone.

I know he tries hard but he's too slow and can't get the ball anymore. It would be a sad way for a celebrated career to end if we have another dozen or so games of this quality. As they say better a year early than a day late. Same with Shedda.

It's a spot that should go to a young kid and we could be trying a MSD option for a position in need - you never know, we might get a good one like Pickett.

[camboon]

He had a bad game in wet weather, it happens!
He might not be able to get back to what he was when 25, but who else is ready in the reserves to step up and be a better option
Who says he can’t come good, he deserves a chance as a 3 time premiership captain

[Andyy]

He had a bad game in wet weather, it happens!
He might not be able to get back to what he was when 25, but who else is ready in the reserves to step up and be a better option
Who says he can’t come good, he deserves a chance as a 3 time premiership captain

Yeah I guess what I'm saying is give him until the MSD to run into form, or not.

His numbers are down but his speed is notably bad compared to last year and I don't see how that would improve, do you? Modestly paced midfielders are leaving him for dead in the chase.

[Broadsword]

I don't think you MSD him and leave him on 299 games just to get a bush league footballer in the door today, especially since this season is realistically gone. Might as well save those picks for the ND and get a good long look at next year's draft crop.

[crackertiger]

Give him his 300th game he deserves that. Play him as the sub if needed. The problem with Cotchin is that he can only go at 80%..... We all know that you cannot carry players at only 80%. He was the same last year.

A mid season retirement could be a realistic situation unfortunately for the champ.

[mightytiges]

Playing Cotch as the sub the week before was an odd decision by the MC. Either play him or rest him like Jack was. Clearly, the rest did Jack the world of good, whereas Cotch had to come on way earlier than planned against the Dogs due to Graham's hammy. So, effectively Cotch hasn't really had a managed break (until subbed off). The reality is as veterans they are going to have to be managed this year and have a game off here. At least this week, both he and Jack get a 10-day break before Anzac Eve. 

[the claw]

I can't buy into the media hype. Thats what it is with Cotchin media hype.

Last two games he has been the sub coming on or coming off. Imo the only poor game he has had was this week.

Gunna keep saying it WHAT YOUNG MID is there to play anyway.

For anyone not interested in the media rush to retire Cotchin here,s his tog. 67%, 71%, 79% then rested coming off what i thought was a very good gameand came on as sub for 48% game time and this week subbed off with 40% game time and it really is the only week he probably needed to be replaced.

Hmm Ross instead of Cotchin thanks but no thanks, Or Dow yeah na. Graham Short nope none offer what Cotchin does even in his twighlight.

Yep hes come off a mare but they all have em.

[Assange Tiger 😎]

I can't buy into the media hype. Thats what it is with Cotchin media hype.

Last two games he has been the sub coming on or coming off. Imo the only poor game he has had was this week.

Gunna keep saying it WHAT YOUNG MID is there to play anyway.

For anyone not interested in the media rush to retire Cotchin here,s his tog. 67%, 71%, 79% then rested coming off what i thought was a very good gameand came on as sub for 48% game time and this week subbed off with 40% game time and it really is the only week he probably needed to be replaced.

Hmm Ross instead of Cotchin thanks but no thanks, Or Dow yeah na. Graham Short nope none offer what Cotchin does even in his twighlight.

Yep hes come off a mare but they all have em.

100% with you here

[one-eyed]

Watch: https://twitter.com/RFC17192020/status/1647883392065880065

David King reckons Cotch will be considering whether to pull the ping now if Cotch believes he is standing in the way of a young Tiger getting 20 games into him. Having said that, once Whateley told King that Cotch only needs 8 more games to reach 300, then King said we have to get him to 300 as things like this relating to legends of the club are more important.

[Tiger Khosh]

Such a pile on over nothing. Granted I’ve missed the past couple of games but can anyone point me to more then a select few players for us who are playing with any real top form? There are 20+ players they could be writing these articles about but it will be Cotchin and Jack all year purely based on their age.