Player Watch #9: Trent Cotchin is an obscenely good 3 x Premiership Captain, Victorian Captain & Brownlow Medalist

[GhostofJimJess]

There's countless great and memorable moments in Cotch's time at Tigerland, but unquestionably my favourite came early on in the 2019 GF.

All week the footy media and social media had been bunking up the Giants, rallying all the impartials onto the "big big sound" etc. All the keyboard warriors on social media prattled on about how "Big Mummy" was playing his last game and would go out in style by taking down a few of Richmond's key players early on to ensure a Giants win.

Hardly 10 minutes into the first quarter though, as Mumford took possession of the footy just inside the centre square, Trent Cotchin

9

Trent Cotchin

Age

34

Ht

185cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

23.4

5star

K

13.8

5star

HB

9.5

5star

M

3.4

3star

T

3.9

5star

CL

5.2

5star

D

19.0

4star

K

9.5

4star

HB

9.5

5star

M

2.7

3star

T

4.3

5star

CL

3.5

4star

D

16.6

4star

K

8.0

3star

HB

8.6

5star

M

4.6

5star

T

1.0

3star

steps in and absolutely buries the big bloke with a superbly fair crunching tackle. The big Giants ruckman didn't know what hit him, and never really recovered for the rest of the match.

Cotch gave away at least 20kgs and 10cm in that (and many other contests), but didn't hesitate to lay the biggest tackle in a grand final in living memory, and set the team on a course for our second flag in three seasons.

Love your work Cotch.

 

[k31th]

reposting these in the thread Congratulations on a massively successful and prominent career as the Tigers captain, player and all-round top-bloke.

 

[Mr Unbelievable]

reposting these in the thread Congratulations on a massively successful and prominent career as the Tigers captain, player and all-round top-bloke.

 

[Downtown06]

reposting these in the thread Congratulations on a massively successful and prominent career as the Tigers captain, player and all-round top-bloke.

Should upload it on pr0n Hub

 

[Daka]

He played the game as a tough inside player, but he did some talented freakish things as well, the goal against Geelong 2017 qualifying was one of them.
The goal against the Swans on the ground being tackled.
He will be tough to replace.

The leadership thank you Trent Cotchin

9

Trent Cotchin

Age

34

Ht

185cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

23.4

5star

K

13.8

5star

HB

9.5

5star

M

3.4

3star

T

3.9

5star

CL

5.2

5star

D

19.0

4star

K

9.5

4star

HB

9.5

5star

M

2.7

3star

T

4.3

5star

CL

3.5

4star

D

16.6

4star

K

8.0

3star

HB

8.6

5star

M

4.6

5star

T

1.0

3star

!

 

[AstuteTiger]

 

[JAKLAUGHING]

Jeez he spoke well for a Politician...

 

[TheOptimum18]

 

[JAKLAUGHING]

Well I guess after winning 3 GFs and having a slew of champion 300 gamers retire...
It maybe a while before the RFC Machine approaches the GF winning podium once more...
So in the meantime it maybe best to watch and enjoy the progress of some of our younger and lesser know stars!

 

[Groupie_]

 

[kozi]

Panic attack was everything Terry Wallace taught him leaving his body

 

[Tiger_Of_Old]

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/from-the-heart-trent-cotchin-reveals-the-moment-he-knew-something-was-up-with-damien-hardwick/news-story/8c343a554eb3a6cfdf36d433de8e1332

From The Heart: Trent Cotchin reveals the moment he knew something was up with Damien Hardwick​

In the wake of Richmond’s loss to Essendon this year, Trent Cotchin witnessed a Damien Hardwick tirade like never before. A day later, he quit. The premiership skipper tells his story.
Trent Cotchin





news.com.au
Former Richmond Tigers coach fights back tears in farewell speech to family
Damien Hardwick fights back tears as he farewells the 'love of my life' in emotional sign-off...
See more

​

We looked ahead to the Dreamtime game (this year) with Essendon with confidence – it was always one of the best weeks of the year, listening to the stories of our brothers. But while the lead-in to the game was good, the outcome was more of a nightmare than anything else.
When Dusty (Martin) kicked the first goal of the last quarter, we led by 18 points, and that should have been the end of it. But we allowed Essendon to control the ball through uncontested marks and we didn’t defend well. Sam Durham kicked the match-winning goal at the 28-minute mark, putting them one point ahead.
We had blown it.
That led to one of the most unusual post-matches we had ever seen from Dimma. His response was different to any other game I played in.
He was filthy and cutting with his comments to the group and about the opposition. In an angry meeting in the rooms after the game, he referred to us as “putrid” and said the way some of us had played meant he would just get “another c--- to replace us”.
He pointed to the Essendon team that was displayed on the white board and said, “To be honest with you, I reckon this team is a bunch of spuds, and you aren’t even as good as they are.”

Damien Hardwick addressing his players during his final game at Richmond. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos
His spray had much more to do with us than his assessment of the Bombers. Upon reflection I’m not even sure he knew what he had said.
He was quite rattled. I was thinking, “Well, this is different”.
Given he’d already spoken to me about his personal challenges, the way he addressed our group made me think something serious was going on.
I couldn’t have predicted what happened next but was I totally surprised by it? No, I wasn’t.
He sent me a text message early on Monday morning but I didn’t notice it at first. I was going to Parker’s sport. The text message said: “Hey mate, do you have time to catch up today?” I eventually got back to him, saying: “Do you mean on the phone or in person?” He told me he would prefer to do it in person. I sensed straight away that it was about him. Not me!
He must have wondered if I was reading his message the wrong way, as he quickly sent another text saying: “It’s about me.”
He had spoken to Jack Riewoldt on the phone earlier. Jack was on the golf course and he thought the coach was finishing him up as a player. But this was about Dimma, not about us. Dimma asked me to grab Dusty on my way to his house but I couldn’t get hold of him. In the car, I sensed what was coming.
It was only a brief chat as Dimma had a lot of people to get to before the news would break that he was quitting the club immediately.
I got to his place at 12.54pm; I left at 1.08pm. In between, we sat on the couch and talked about why he felt it was the right time for him to go.

Trent Cotchin and Jack Riewoldt arriving at Hardwick’s press conference. Picture: Michael Klein

It all became too much for Hardwick – and Cotchin knew it. Picture: Michael Klein
The one thing I will always remember was how much pressure seemed to have been released by him making that decision to leave. I can vividly remember how blue his eyes looked. He looked like he had more life back in his face.
He had only told the club the night before that he was leaving, yet you could already see a huge burden had been lifted.
What had happened in Dimma’s life across the previous three years was significant enough for anyone. Add to that the pressure that naturally comes with being a senior AFL coach and it’s no wonder he’d had enough.
For me, the main thing was that I hoped he would find his true happiness.
Our relationship had been challenged but Dimma will be a friend for life. I hope he knows that if he ever needs a coffee or a chat, I will be there for him at the drop of a hat.
After leaving Dimma that day, I checked in with Toby Nankervis, Dyl Grimes, Jack (Riewoldt) and a few others. I was actually told not to tell anyone.

Cotchin and Hardwick celebrate the 2017 grand final win. Picture: Matt King/AFL Media

And two years later, the pair celebrated another flag with Dustin Martin. Picture: Daniel Carson/AFL Photos
Both Hop (Jacob Hopper) and T-Bone (Tim Taranto) had chosen Richmond as their destination partly because they wanted to play under Dimma. Now he was gone in their first year.
I caught up with both of the boys the next morning for a coffee before we went into the club,
just to make sure they were doing OK.
It was a shock for the players and the footy world. I was incredibly proud of how collaborative and strong the Richmond Football Club was at the time.
The conversations we had as a club and as a team were mature and open. There were all sorts of opinions about who we thought was the right interim candidate to take the club forward, at least until the end of a season that was effectively still alive.
They were a bit like the discussions that I was a part of in late 2009, even though the circumstances were very different.

​

This time the coach had chosen to leave; back then the coach had been sacked. 2009 felt like a lifetime ago. We’d all come such a long way.
This is an edited extract from From The Heart by Trent Cotchin (HarperCollins Publishers, $49.99)
Pre-order your copy of the book here and go into the running to win a prize pack containing a Richmond hoodie, cap and scarf with a signed book.

 

[RJK Tiger]

Chimp was always the heart and soul to our reformed culture. and this proves it. He welcomes the light & accepts the dark.

Its pretty bloody clear the Dimma and his personal issues had affected culture and results. How much more proof do peeps need, lol

 

[JAKLAUGHING]

From The Heart: The inspirational memoir of how a captain became a leader : Cotchin, Trent: Amazon.com.au: Books

From The Heart: The inspirational memoir of how a captain became a leader : Cotchin, Trent: Amazon.com.au: Books

www.amazon.com.au

 

[Punt Road Feral]

There’s been a lot of headline grabbing about the Essendon comment but tbh what Dimma said wasn’t wrong.

 

[voorhees]

now that's how you sell a book...
already pre ordered and can't wait to rip into this.
it really was a crazy year 2023, glad it's behind us now and we can move on and focus on our next year's of dominance

 

[Wooden Robot]

Chimp was always the heart and soul to our reformed culture. and this proves it. He welcomes the light & accepts the dark.

Its pretty bloody clear the Dimma and his personal issues had affected culture and results. How much more proof do peeps need, lol

Love this as my good mate TigerImposter was vilified for saying this exactly. Hardwick had taken to being irrational and basically singling out players and condemning them. But we weren’t allowed to say it! Defend, defend!

 

[RJK Tiger]

Love this as my good mate TigerImposter was vilified for saying this exactly. Hardwick had taken to being irrational and basically singling out players and condemning them. But we weren’t allowed to say it! Defend, defend!

there were a few of us that saw it mate - i think we are known as the "campaigner bunch"

Dimma's professionalism was optically declining from 2020, on. From his comments about COVID restrictions, medicinal weed use & the ongoing jokes, his decision making around internal relationships at the club. Then there was the constant issues with team selection and matchday tactics - The signs were sometimes subtle, but they were there for those who allow themselves to see them.

 

[Grrr]

now that's how you sell a book...
already pre ordered and can't wait to rip into this.
it really was a crazy year 2023, glad it's behind us now and we can move on and focus on our next year's of dominance

I'm going to buy it just to read the bit about Essendon, over and over.

 

[Sir_Loin]

I'm going to buy it just to read the bit about Essendon, over and over.

It’ll be a good book. Can’t wait. Will buy a few copies for Christmas gifts.
Especially my Essendon supporting mate

 

[JAKLAUGHING]

All the Clubs have copied our I.P....our coaches...our game plans...
The only thing left untouched and uncopied is the amount of RFC Books that have been published since the Dynasty began...
Balmey...Pickett...Houli...Dusty...the two Books by whatshisname...now we have also coming both Chimps and JR8!!!

 

[Freddy Swift]

Chimp was always the heart and soul to our reformed culture. and this proves it. He welcomes the light & accepts the dark.

Its pretty bloody clear the Dimma and his personal issues had affected culture and results. How much more proof do peeps need, lol

And don’t you just love any opportunity to stick the boots in? Nobody wants to hear your ‘I told you so’s’

 

[tiger_tough]

It's not exactly huge news that a coach under pressure loses his cool at the playing group is it? Dimma like most of us wasn't used to losing and clearly wasn't coping.

 

[RJK Tiger]

And don’t you just love any opportunity to stick the boots in? Nobody wants to hear your ‘I told you so’s’

There are just so so many chances to do it though, isn't there?

Whose fault is that? mine or Dimma's.

You just need to accept the real reality of what happened, maybe then i wont need to continually point out the obvious despite how much some of you choose to completely ignore it

 

[Sir_Loin]

It's not exactly huge news that a coach under pressure loses his cool at the playing group is it? Dimma like most of us wasn't used to losing and clearly wasn't coping.

TBH I was feeling the same way after the loss