Star Richmond midfielder Trent Cotchin has rocketed to the lead in the AFL Coaches Association’s Player of the Year Award.

Cotchin was the Tigers’ leading vote-getter in last Sunday’s Round 17 loss to North Melbourne, with five votes, taking his overall season’s tally to 75.

He now leads Essendon captain Jobe Watson by four votes, with Adelaide’s Scott Thompson a further three votes behind in third place.

The Tiger vice-captain has polled votes in 14 of the 16 games so far this season.
Other Richmond players to collect votes last Sunday were Steven Morris (three) and Brett Deledio (one), with top votes (nine apiece) going to North pair Drew Petrie and Andrew Swallow.

The leaders’ board in the AFLCA Player of the Year Award is:

75 - T. Cotchin (Richmond)
71 - J. Watson (Essendon)
68 - S. Thompson (Adelaide)
67 - D. Beams (Collingwood)
66 - M. Boyd (W. Bulldogs)
65 - G. Ablett (Gold Coast)
63 - S. Pendlebury (Collingwood)
59 - S. Mitchell (Hawthorn)
52 - J. Kennedy (Sydney)
52 - J. Selwood (Geelong)