AS WITH everything to do with this entire episode, it was initially unclear just how festive the awarding of the 2012 Brownlow Medal to Trent Cotchin and Sam Mitchell should have been.
Add to this the twist of Mitchell now playing for West Coast after such a distinguished career at Hawthorn, and it was clear this was no ordinary Tuesday afternoon in the Melbourne Docklands.
"It is an unusual ceremony," noted master of ceremonies, Bruce McAvaney. "But we are here."
However, the mood changed when Cotchin stepped up to receive his medal from Ian Stewart, the triple Brownlow medalist and Richmond's most recent winner, and the Tigers skipper broke into a huge smile.
VIDEO: Cotchin Brownlow presentation
And just like that, the path was cleared to finally embrace it as a joyous occasion.
It was like a wedding, Mitchell remarked. There was the Cotchin side and there was his own.
Like a wedding, there were assorted family and friends from both sides, and like the end-of-season Brownlow, there was a red carpet and guests were dressed to the nines, even though this Brownlow function started just after noon.
Mitchell joked that it wasn’t embarrassing to pull out a prepared list of acknowledgements, because "I knew I was going to win."
Cotchin had several Tiger officials and a few of his teammates in the room including Dustin Martin, Alex Rance and Brandon Ellis. Carlton's Matthew Kreuzer, his lifelong friend, junior teammate and the first pick at the 2007 national draft (Cotchin was no.2) was also there.
On the Hawthorn side it was slim pickings, save for president Richard Garvey and chief executive Stuart Fox, former president Ian Dicker and club legend (and longtime Mitchell mentor) David Parkin, given that all the coaches and players left for their Mooloolaba training camp the previous day.
One guest with ties to both players was Richmond coach Damien Hardwick, an assistant coach at Hawthorn between 2005 and 2009 when Mitchell first ascended to stardom and, since then, Cotchin's senior coach at Richmond.
"(They’re) both wonderful players," Hardwick said. "Not many players can say this – but he (Mitchell) keeps getting better over time."
Trent Cotchin receives his Brownlow Medal from Tigers legend Ian Stewart. Picture: AFL Photos
West Coast will hope that's the case. Stats-mad McAvaney mentioned during his interview with Mitchell that the former Hawk averages 30.6 possessions a game at his new home ground, Domain Stadium, more than any other venue in the competition.
Hardwick added that the Cotchin highlights compilation of 2012 showed what a wonderful player he was then and, Hardwick insists, still is.
Truth be told, it hasn't been too shabby a time to be a Richmond supporter. The Hardwick era has produced three finals appearances (after only two in the 30 years before that), a Coleman Medal to Jack Riewoldt, and now a Brownlow Medal for Cotchin.
"From a selfish point of view, it will be something I'll cherish, to have been fortunate to have Jack as a Coleman medalist and Trent as a Brownlow medalist. It's something that will always be embedded in me," said Hardwick.
"But it's fantastic for the club. We know we're not where we need to be and we have a lot of work to do, but this is a great individual reward for a football club and something that will add to our journey along the way."
And if there were mixed emotions for Hawthorn people, they weren’t on show.
"It's a great day for Hawthorn and fantastic for Sam," said Fox. "He served us so well and he'll always be a champion of our club."
Cotchin and Mitchell watch the Brownlow Medal ceremony with their young families. Picture: AFL Photos
