In the 12^th of a richmondfc.com.au pre-season special series focusing on 14 key findings from the Tigers’ 2014 season, we look at Trent Cotchin’s leadership development.

No. 12:  Trent Cotchin emerged from Richmond’s rollercoaster ride a better captain.

The Tigers’ trials and tribulations throughout the first half of the ’14 season, led to the Club’s players actively taking on more collective responsibility, in an effort to find a way out of the trough.

There were some open discussions held within the playing group about how they all could contribute to an overall team improvement.

Captain Trent Cotchin received feedback, which he later admitted had helped him become a better leader.

 “I’ve probably gone back to more so, just my natural way of leading,” Cotchin said.

“I was probably trying to be the perfect leader.  You don’t want to stand on too many people’s toes, but the reality is you’re voted in by your peers because they think you have something to offer the group as a leader, whether it be the way you’re playing, the standards you’re driving, etc.

“So, I think just having that feedback by my peers, gave me the confidence to grow and go back to the basics of probably what gave me an opportunity to become the leader of a proud club in the first place.

“I just needed to say more when I saw it.  I felt that, initially, spending more time with individuals was my go, being a younger leader.

“And, I feel that you need to have the relationships first, before you can start whacking blokes.

 “Now, I feel that I’m in a position, where if I see something out on the track, or in the change-rooms, I can, not so much whack blokes, but just put them on notice, and make sure that they take a step forwards, rather than one backwards.”

On-field, Cotchin continued to generate plenty of drive for the Tigers through the midfield, and he was dangerous when played deep forward, too.

He averaged 26 disposals, 11.4 contested possessions, 5.3 clearances, and scored 18 goals for the season.

Cotchin was ranked fourth in the competition for total kicks, and he picked up a career-high 38 disposals in the opening round loss to Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium.

The fact he polled 18 votes in the 2014 Brownlow Medal – the fourth consecutive year he’d finished with 15 votes or more in the game’s most prestigious individual award – further highlighted the impact he again was able to have within Richmond’s line-up.