Decorated Richmond midfielder Trent Cotchin has signed on for a 16th season at Richmond.

Cotchin, who relinquished the captaincy this year after a record-breaking and triple premiership-winning stint, added 19 games in 2022 to take his career tally to 287.

The 32-year-old showed excellent and consistent form throughout the season, averaging 22.7 disposals, five clearances, and three tackles per game, to have arguably his best individual season since 2017.

Cotchin ranked #2 at Richmond for contested possessions per game and clearances and was #3 for average disposals.

Already a legend of the Club, the extension puts Cotchin, who currently sits 7th on Richmond’s all-time games leaders, in reach of Jack Titus (294), Wayne Campbell (297), Francis Bourke (300), and Shane Edwards (303).

Cotchin (selected No. 2 overall) is one of just five remaining players in the competition from the 2007 AFL National Draft, along with fellow Brownlow Medalist Patrick Dangerfield, teammate Robbie Tarrant and other former club captains, Callan Ward and Taylor Walker.

The three-time Jack Dyer Medalist said he was excited to extend his time at the Club.

“I am really excited to be given this opportunity to continue to work with our younger Tigers across another pre-season and to hopefully play a bit of footy (with them) in the seniors next year,” he said.

“As you get closer to the end of your career, you don’t know when it is going to come but I feel as though I contributed from a football point of view relatively well for the majority of the season.”

Cotchin conceded he had at times believed season 2022 would be his last.

“The plan probably was not initially to go again, but I think that changed for a number of reasons; one my body and also that you are a long time retired, I had that nagging away in the back of my head,” he explained.

“Something that really came to fruition this year as well was the joy it brought my kids. Having that additional purpose of not just trying my best for me and for our team, but also playing and really enjoying the journey of AFL footy and the Richmond Tigers (with them).”

Cotchin, 32, will be a strong chance to finish in the top 10 of the Jack Dyer Medal for the 12^th time in the past 13 years when the event is held later this month.