Richmond captain Trent Cotchin set the tone for the Tigers’ stirring qualifying final victory over Geelong at the MCG last night with his steely resolve and fierce attack on the ball.

The raw numbers alone don’t do justice to the influence Cotchin exerted on the contest right throughout the contest.

He finished with 20 disposals, including 13 contested possessions, an equal game-high seven clearances, four intercepts, 22 pressure acts, an equal team-high nine tackles, and a brilliant left-foot snap goal (the final one of the match).

Cotchin’s inspirational leadership qualities were lauded post-game by teammates Dylan Grimes and Alex Rance.

“Honestly, he’s (Cotchin) been nothing short of incredible,” Grimes said on SEN’s ‘Crunch Time’.

“The work that he’s put into the playing group and the work that he’s put into our culture has just been first class.

“Internally, he could not be rated higher as a person and as a leader.

“Honestly, I feel honoured to talk about Trent because he’s such a quality person, first and foremost . . .

“He played a great game last night, but throughout the season I’ve just felt like he’s done so much work defensively, and in the contest, to make other players better . . .

“It was great to see him get that reward because, in my eyes, he’s an absolute superstar and I love playing with him every week.”    

Rance was equally effusive about the Tigers skipper . . .

“There’s a reason why he’s the skipper of our football club,” Rance told 3AW.

“He certainly lifted us tonight with his pressure, and that goal, it was something very, very special.

“It was a very good effort by him . . .”