Star Richmond midfielder Trent Cotchin has tightened his grip on the AFL Coaches Association’s Player of the Year award.

Cotchin was the only Tiger player to poll in last Saturday’s 22-point loss to Fremantle at Patersons Stadium, picking up four votes, to take his season’s tally to 97.

He is eight votes ahead of Collingwood’s Dayne Beams, with Essendon captain Jobe Watson another vote behind in third place.

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To underline just how consistent Cotchin has been this season, he has polled AFLCA award votes in 18 of the 20 games played so far.

The leaders’ board in the AFLCA Player of the Year award after Round 21 is:

97 - Trent Cotchin (Richmond)
89 - Dayne Beams (Collingwood)
88 - Jobe Watson (Essendon)
85 - Gary Ablett (Gold Coast)
81 - Patrick Dangerfield (Adelaide)
76 - Scott Thompson (Adelaide)
74 - Matthew Boyd (Western Bulldogs)
73 - Scott Pendlebury (Collingwood)
71 - Josh Kennedy (Sydney)
63 - Brett Deledio (Richmond)