Grand Recollections is a special post-season series presenting the thoughts of Richmond’s latest premiership heroes on that wonderful one day in September 2019. First up is the Tigers' inspirational two-time premiership captain, Trent Cotchin...
Managing hamstring injuries throughout the year
“I think you always have doubts with injury, but then you walk downstairs and speak to our physios, doctors, conditioning staff and you have every confidence you’ll be okay. Sometimes it takes a little bit longer than you would hope or like or expect and other times, it can be quicker than you expect. I think you’ve got to trust that we employ the right people to take good care of you.”
Grand Final lead-up
“It was a funny old week, Grand Final week. We were lucky enough to experience it in 2017 and there was so much energy because we hadn’t won a final for so long and we hadn’t won a Grand Final for 37 years, so it felt like we were caged animals inside of a pen...This year, there was still good energy but it was very much subdued and that probably echoed the feeling within our four walls. It was pretty relaxed, we knew what was required, we knew what strengths GWS brought but also what we brought to the game.”
His Grand Final role
“You always want to play your best game on Grand Final day but I think deep down I knew all I had to do was my role, which is effectively what each and every one of our players does on every game, whether it’s a Grand Final or not…My role was to make sure everyone had a really good feeling about them leading into the game. So, I was really relaxed in the morning. Getting to the ground, your nerves settle a little bit being around the boys and our vibe was as normal as it is for any game, which gave me a lot of confidence going into the first bounce.”
Celebrating with Tiger teammates
“I just loved, not so much kicking the goal or my celebration, but getting together after the game. I probably celebrated Dusty and Jack’s goal after that, as hard as I celebrated my own.”
The final siren
“I dropped to my knees and Nank (Toby Nankervis), Dion (Prestia) and Shedda (Shane Edwards) were all there with me. We just hugged and lay on the ground. It was a little bit surreal to be honest. Having experienced it (in 2017), I just wanted to take it all in.”
Family-orientated Tigers
“I’m incredibly grateful that in our group of boys, some of them who have probably never been near a child, let alone had their own, are so welcoming and accepting that it’s a part of who we are. I think it says a lot about our group. On Grand Final day there are 22 players that go out there and we talk about every player on the list having a significant impact on that moment and celebrate that. But beyond that, there’s the extension of partners, families, friends that contribute so much but also sacrifice a big part of their lives just to ensure that we have the best opportunity of doing what we do.”
The incredible 2019 journey
“Had we have gone out in straight sets in the finals, this year probably would have been my favourite year anyway. I know it’s easy to say now that we’ve brought the premiership cup home, but I’ve just loved every moment and there's no doubt there were some challenging times, some harder conversations had and some of our most senior players being injured for long periods at a time. To see the way our generals grew and learnt and helped others was so amazing for me to see as an older player, not even as captain, but just as an older player. It shows there’s a lot of care but also a group that’s willing to continue growing together and making this a special place.”
