Cotchin takes leadership and Tigers to new highs

TRENT Cotchin could eventually be one of Richmond’s greatest captains, coach Damien Hardwick says.

Cotchin, 25, has earned the plaudits of teammates and coach alike this week after back-toback starring roles in Richmond wins against Sydney and GWS.

His emergence this season as one of the game’s top leaders hasn’t surprised former Richmond captain Kane Johnson.

If anything, it validates his initial impressions of a young man he describes as being “different” to the average 18-year-old draft- ee when he landed at Punt Rd.

Johnson met a 16-year-old Cotchin on a pre-season camp, where the fresh-faced kid took the club by storm, winning training games against experienced players. Once drafted, at pick two in the 2007 national draft, Cotchin set up a room in his then-captain’s home.

“You knew he was a lot different to any other kid that had come down to the club before,” Johnson said. “It wasn’t just about his football talents, which were pretty obvious with the way he went about things, but he was just way more mature than any other 18-year-old.

“You didn’t need to worry about him too much in terms of off-field or anything like that, and his skill level was really good. You just needed to support him where you could, and he’d come and talk to you if he needed to have a chat.”

Johnson retired at the end of 2008, having played 220 games at Richmond and Adelaide, and had one of those chats with Cotchin when he was appointed captain for the 2013 season.

“The main thing I mentioned to him was try to be yourself,” Johnson said. “He’s standing up at the right times and the whole club looks like it’s maturing.’’