Richmond skipper Trent Cotchin says this Sunday's JLT clash will provide the perfect opportunity for the Tigers to put their pre-season objectives into practice.
Cotchin spoke to SEN’s Gerard Whateley on Thursday morning about the match, which will get underway from 4.40pm at Deakin Reserve, Shepparton.
“The guys are really excited to implement what we’ve been working on over the summer into proper games and hopefully carry some good form into the season,” Cotchin said.
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“(I’m) looking forward to it, first hit-out against opposition and really looking forward to getting out there with the boys.
“We know what makes us a really strong team, we know also where our weaknesses lie and we make sure they tidy those up to carry into season 2019.
“That’s the beauty of the JLT system, you get a chance to practice a few things that you’re changing or trying to shift over the summer, and do yourself every chance to carry good form into the season.”
While the focus at Richmond remains on honing in on the team’s strengths, the star midfielder said the group are conscious and proactive regarding how the new rules will affect the game.
“We focus most of our energy on the things that have made us a strong team over the last couple of seasons, but you need to be aware of it and try different things to see what maybe opposition teams will do to you, or what you may be able to do to opposition teams,” Cotchin said.
“But, I think sometimes simple is better than trying to be too tricky.
“I think (JLT is) the perfect opportunity for teams to try and see what will work best for them.
“I think we’ll see interesting set-ups or ideas around the bounce and the ball. I think along with that, the kick-in structure will be a challenging one as well just with the extra few metres that the ball gets.”
Cotchin enters his 12th season as a Tiger with no signs of slowing down, stressing the importance of treating every game with equal significance to achieve continuity.
“I think through my career what I’ve really realised is you have to give it your all every week whether it’s a JLT match or Round 1,” he said.
“Preparing as best as you can for what you want to do needs to come out in not just games, but also your training, and I think we go pretty fierce in all facets of our training which hopefully carries into the way we show up and play our game.”
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The 28-year-old feels confident with Richmond’s line-up for their first hit-out of the year, as the Tigers’ playing group nears full-strength.
“Our injury list is pretty good at the moment, most guys that are in rehab have been either there for a little while and progressing really well or just minor niggles,” Cotchin said.
“I don’t think we’re too far away from having the majority available which is really exciting for us at this time of year, but the guys that don’t happen to get a game this week or aren’t quite ready from a preparation point of view, I don’t think they’re too far away so that’s exciting for us.”
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