Richmond captain Trent Cotchin has spoken publicly, for the first time, about retrospectively being awarded the 2012 Brownlow Medal that was forfeited by Essendon's Jobe Watson last week. 

Cotchin described it as a unique experience to be part of . . .

“Mixed emotions.  It's different, it's never happened before, and here we are now,” he said at a special press conference held today (Thursday) with co-winner Sam Mitchell. 

Cotchin was away on a holiday when he received the news of his Brownlow win. 

“I was up in Noosa, actually, just with the family . . . We were waiting for a four o'clock call from Gill (AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan) . . . I think the call came through about 4.08pm. So that's where I was – in the sunshine,” he said. 

Cotchin acknowledged that 2012 had been the “most consistent year” of his AFL career.

"We (Mitchell and he) must both have had pretty good years I suppose,” he said.

“It was probably my most consistent year, from an individual point of view. 

“We didn't quite have the team success we would've liked, but certainly, from my own performances, I felt it was the most consistent season I've had.”

Cotchin added that he and Mitchell would likely have a greater appreciation of their 2012 Brownlow success once their league playing careers were over.

“We've both discussed that . . . We're still playing now and it's been a four-year process, but we've still won the most prestigious individual award in different circumstances, and it's definitely something we'll reflect on post-career more so,” he said.