Stuart Cochrane - Credit where its due?

[Toots Hibbert]

Credit where it's due.

Stuart Cochrane appeared to fall out of favour in the second half of 2005. However last year he was a fixture in the side until ultimately missing out on a grand final berth. In the lead up to the Grand Final Mark Williams praised Stuey's positive approach despite only being an emergency for the big game.

Fortunately for him, Cochrane tasted grand final glory with Centrals the following week getting 13 possessions in the big one.

It appears that AFL football may now be passing Cochrane by. Each year there are sad stories of players who just miss out on a Grand Final birth after serving faithfully during the year. Should these players be recogised in some way by getting a consolation medallion?

Or in Stuey's case as the "victim" in our first Grand Final could we name a special award after him to be given to the most unlucky player to miss out on future Grand Final glory?

 

[cooperjai]

Each year there are sad stories of players who just miss out on a Grand Final birth after serving faithfully during the year. Should these players be recogised in some way either by getting a consolation medallion?

I say everyone who played during the year should receive a medallion whether they played in the Grand Final or not. You have to win the home & away games to makes the finals so they ones that helped get them there should be reconised.

 

[dreamkillers]

Credit where it's due.

Should these players be recogised in some way either by getting a consolation medallion?

I think you'll find all squad members and officials not recognised by the AFL in their post match awards ceremony did get a medallion for being part of the 'team' that won the GF - not that the AFL approve of doing things like that hence no mention in anything 'official' released to the public or media.

 

[The Hobo]

Quentin Lynch Board

 

[kaysee]

I say everyone who played during the year should receive a medallion whether they played in the Grand Final or not. You have to win the home & away games to makes the finals so they ones that helped get them there should be reconised.

I don't agree here... only the 22 selected should get the medal. Heyyy life is tough and not everyone makes the team... missing out one year should be motivation to push the players harder to make the team for the next year.

SKC

 

[Powerstufff]

He is a player many fans have trouble giving credit to. He has trouble with safe disposal in tight traffic. But in just a small amount of space he can run like the wind and is an excellent pass by foot. He even managed a few fairly long goals for us on the run this year.
Clearly Cochrane is popular with his team-mates and the coach but I doubt he was under any illusions that the selection panel saw him as the 22nd choice each week, and not at all if there was a better 22 available. This is of course what happened to him (rightly) in the 2004 finals series.
Certainly this was his year to step up if he was able, and he wasn't. As a consequence I cannot see him going on. Nor do I think that he should.
He probably stood somewhere on the list around Poulton in that both were brave players capable of playing well and contributing when their more skilled team-mates were actually winning the game. But both stood out like dogs' b*lls when they had a bad one.
I personally credit him for saving two games for us this year, both at AAMI Stadium. Our soft, head down starts against both Essendon and the Western Bulldogs saw him one of the few players to fight hard and effectively early. Especially the Essendon game where we were almost gone by the end of the 1st quarter and he was a one man defence. Finally his more highly paid and idolised teammates decided to get involved and we won.
With room on the list, and if asking a lowish salary, there might be an argument for retaining him for emergencies. But from now on that 22nd spot should be given to younger players with more scope for development.

 

[The Hobo]

i've critisized him alot on this board. I think he is a very good back up player, he will always give 110%.

But i think he should be delisted, as we have far too much young talent that is missing out due to cochrane coming in the moment anyone gets injured. It's good in a way, we know what to expect from him, but holding back a good youngster is not a good thing.

In a team with not much young talent coming through, Cochrane would be the ideal back up. He would be very cheap, and is a no nonsense player.

In a team like port, with youngsters coming through, he will simply stunt the youngsters growth

 

[dreamkillers]

I don't agree here... only the 22 selected should get the medal. Heyyy life is tough and not everyone makes the team... missing out one year should be motivation to push the players harder to make the team for the next year.

SKC

To me 'the team' is everyone that was involved in the effort throughout the season not just the last few weeks in the finals.

 

[power_goddess]

I have a lot of faith in him and I think he will get another opportunity to play one more year of AFL football if he can believe in himself that he can make a huge impact on Sunday's match (Centrals vs Eagles) by kicking a couple of goals and play against a damaging Eagles player e.g. Gavin Coville.

If this was his last year at Port, he should have made the most of it by making an improvement to his form to avoid from being omitted and being sent back to Centrals. But hopefully Bulldogs will win on Sunday and hopefully save Stuey's career from being traded away or calling it a day from AFL football.

 

[Andre]

Love his attitude and team ethic. Never quite had the skills to be an AFL footballer, but still had a few good matches. Unfortunately too few.

On the medals, I wouldn't go giving every player from the GF winning side a medal. What they should be doing is making the minor premiership recognised more. Now we've won both the minor and 'major' premierships I can state my opinion that the latter gets too much glory compared to the former without sounding bitter.

What I'd be doing is the following. Start the season one week earlier. Have a break of one week after the H & A season. During the week off (this means everyone can be at the main gig. not across the country) have the medal ceremonies - Brownlow the Monday, and the Tuesday night have the rising star, All-Australian and presentation of the McCleland (sp. stuffed) trophy to the minor premiers. At this night present every player from the minor premiers who played a game during rounds 1 - 22 - whether 1 or all 22 with a medallion. I'm not sure what it would be called.

 

[jakey]

Love his attitude and team ethic. Never quite had the skills to be an AFL footballer, but still had a few good matches. Unfortunately too few.

On the medals, I wouldn't go giving every player from the GF winning side a medal. What they should be doing is making the minor premiership recognised more. Now we've won both the minor and 'major' premierships I can state my opinion that the latter gets too much glory compared to the former without sounding bitter.

What I'd be doing is the following. Start the season one week earlier. Have a break of one week after the H & A season. During the week off (this means everyone can be at the main gig. not across the country) have the medal ceremonies - Brownlow the Monday, and the Tuesday night have the rising star, All-Australian and presentation of the McCleland (sp. stuffed) trophy to the minor premiers. At this night present every player from the minor premiers who played a game during rounds 1 - 22 - whether 1 or all 22 with a medallion. I'm not sure what it would be called.

Not a bad idea.

I agree with a comment I once heard Malcolm Blight make - that we don't have enough winners in footy.

I would'nt mind seeing a cup - something like the English FA Cup, to add something extra to AFL.

Instead of 22 rounds - have 16, play each team once, alternate home and away each year, plus an extra rivalry round (Port v Crows, Carlton v Collingwood etc) this would also remove some of the fixturing BS that occurs each year.

Then take, say, the top 3 state league teams from SA, Vic, WA, maybe top two from Tas, two from ACT and one from each of NSW, Qld and NT, giving 16 state teams. The cup would then consist of 16 AFL and 16 State league teams. Then play them off (knockout style and opponents randomly drawn ala FA cup) over 5 rounds (spread out throughout the season at roughly 3 week intervals).

Then you could do 'the double' (cup and premiership) or the treble (cup, mcleland and premiership) etc. Might add interest, create more winners, and perhaps give a bit of boost to State league footy too.

Now I know its pie in the sky, and the logistical, TV, sponsorhip etc issues are myriad...but I think its an interesting concept.

 

[blackdiamond]

Knowing my luck Choco is probably reading this thread so I won't be giving the bloke any praise at all.

 

[PortProudWA]

Credit where it's due.

Stuart Cochrane appeared to fall out of favour in the second half of 2005. However last year he was a fixture in the side until ultimately missing out on a grand final berth. In the lead up to the Grand Final Mark Williams praised Stuey's positive approach despite only being an emergency for the big game.

Fortunately for him, Cochrane tasted grand final glory with Centrals the following week getting 13 possessions in the big one.

It appears that AFL football may now be passing Cochrane by. Each year there are sad stories of players who just miss out on a Grand Final birth after serving faithfully during the year. Should these players be recogised in some way by getting a consolation medallion?

Or in Stuey's case as the "victim" in our first Grand Final could we name a special award after him to be given to the most unlucky player to miss out on future Grand Final glory?

The roach deserves as much credit as a credit card that has been over drawn and cancelled!!

Nothing more, nothing less. If ya not up to the credit limit.......tough cookies!!!

 

[Count Zero]

The Stuart Cochrane Medal - for those who also served. Great idea.

 

[dreamkillers]

What they should be doing is making the minor premiership recognised more.

Has the club put the shield/trophy up on display as last time I saw them they were still lying on the floor of the boardroom next to Bucky's old office.

 

[Santos L Helper]

i've critisized him alot on this board. I think he is a very good back up player, 1. he will always give 110%.

But i think he should be delisted, as we have far too much young talent that is missing out due to cochrane coming in the moment anyone gets injured. It's good in a way, we know what to expect from him, but holding back a good youngster is not a good thing.

In a team with not much young talent coming through, Cochrane would be the ideal back up. 2. He would be very cheap, and is a no nonsense player.

In a team like port, with youngsters coming through, he will simply stunt the youngsters growth

1. Giving 110% is impossible by definition.
2. There's a reason he would be cheap. He's useless in today's AFL....unless he plays on Nck Stevens

 

[portentous]

He's always tried to make the most of his abilities. His work ethic is first class and he does seem like a real team orientated player. I wish him well for 2006 and beyond, but doubt that it will be with Port somehow.

 

[Andre]

Has the club put the shield/trophy up on display as last time I saw them they were still lying on the floor of the boardroom next to Bucky's old office.

No idea as I haven't been to the club in quite awhile. You'd think that the 2004 one would at least be proudly on display since we went on from it.

Another idea if they want to show the value of it is redesign the trophy and premiership cup. Along the lines of the trophy has a base at the top of it where the premiership cup sits perfectly. So if you get both you'd get this great looking pedestal clearly stating you're the best during the minor round with the premiership cup on top - but if you only get one or the other it doesn't look so good. I'm not good at explaining it, but it's so the two look like two halves of a whole and only sides that are exceptional and get both truly look great.

And if you look at the number of sides from 1995 (sixteen teams with final eight) onwards that have both premierships that's only about 1 in 3. Again not enough credit given to sides who get the double. They are better then a run of the mill premiership side in my books.