Trent Cotchin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Trent Cotchin |
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Cotchin with Richmond in June 2017
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| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Trent William Cotchin | ||
| Date of birth | 7 April 1990 | ||
| Place of birth | Melbourne, Victoria | ||
| Original team | Northern Knights (TAC Cup) West Preston Lakeside Football club NFL |
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| Draft | No. 2, 2007 national draft | ||
| Debut | Round 8, 2008, Richmond v. Geelong, at MCG |
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| Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
| Career highlights | |||
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Trent William Cotchin (born 7 April 1990) is a former professional Australian rules football player. He played his entire career for the Richmond Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). Trent is known as an All-Australian player. He won the Jack Dyer Medal three times as Richmond's best and fairest player. He also won the prestigious Brownlow Medal. Most notably, he was a three-time premiership-winning captain for Richmond.
Trent played for the Victorian Metro team in junior championships. He was drafted by Richmond as the second overall pick in the 2007 AFL draft. He led Richmond to their first premiership in 37 years in 2017. He then led them to two more premierships in 2019 and 2020.
Contents
- Trent Cotchin's Early Life and Junior Football
- Trent Cotchin's AFL Career Highlights
- Starting His AFL Journey in 2008
- Battling Injuries in 2009 and 2010
- Breakout Season in 2011
- Becoming a Star in 2012
- Leading the Tigers in 2013
- A Consistent Performer in 2014
- Leading Through Challenges in 2015 and 2016
- Premiership Glory in 2017
- Continued Leadership in 2018 and 2019
- A Third Premiership and Retirement in 2020-2023
- Trent Cotchin's Player Profile
- Statistics
- Honours and Achievements
- Trent Cotchin's Personal Life
- Book About Trent Cotchin's Journey
Trent Cotchin's Early Life and Junior Football
Trent Cotchin grew up in Reservoir, a suburb in northern Melbourne. Later, he lived in Wollert, north of Melbourne. He started playing junior football for West Preston Lakeside. Then, at age 16, he joined the Northern Knights in the TAC Cup.
In 2006, Trent was the captain of the Victorian Metro team. They played in the under-16 national championships.
Training with Richmond and Junior Injuries
In January 2007, Trent trained with the Richmond Football Club's senior team. He was part of the AIS/AFL Academy. He looked up to Richmond player Brett Deledio, who was his favorite player.
At the 2007 AFL Under 18 Championships, Trent was part of the Victorian Metro team. They finished as runners-up. In September 2007, he broke his foot while playing for the Northern Knights. This injury kept him from playing football for over six weeks.
Trent went to high school at Parade College and Penleigh and Essendon Grammar School. He was one of the best players in his school's 2007 state championship win.
AFL Draft Selection
Before the 2007 AFL draft, Trent was known for his "class, balance, (and) ability to read the play." Many expected him to be picked very early in the draft.
Trent missed most of the AFL's pre-draft testing because of his ankle injury. Close to the draft, it was widely believed that Richmond would pick him second overall.
Trent Cotchin's AFL Career Highlights
Starting His AFL Journey in 2008
Richmond drafted Trent Cotchin as their first pick, second overall, in the 2007 AFL draft. He received the number nine guernsey. This number had not been used since former captain Wayne Campbell retired.
Trent had to recover from his foot injury when he joined the club. He also had an Achilles tendon issue. He missed much of the pre-season training. He started playing for Richmond's VFL team, Coburg, for four matches.
Trent made his senior AFL debut in round 8 of the 2008 AFL season. This was against Geelong at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG). He had sixteen disposals and kicked two goals, one with his very first kick!
He continued to play well and received the AFL Rising Star nomination in round 12. Trent played fifteen games in his first season. He kicked nine goals and averaged 16.4 disposals per game. He finished third in the AFL Rising Star Award.
Battling Injuries in 2009 and 2010
Trent faced more Achilles problems in 2009. He missed the first seven games of the season. He played limited time in VFL games. His season ended early in round 18 due to a hip injury. He had surgery in August and couldn't train until October. He played ten games, averaging 17.7 disposals.
In 2010, Trent was fully fit for the first time. His teammates voted him into the club's leadership group. This showed his leadership skills even before he turned 20. He played in 15 of the first 16 matches. He had over 20 disposals in seven of those games.
When captain Chris Newman was out, Trent captained the club for the first time in round 4. He was suspended for four matches after a bump on a North Melbourne player. He finished the season with 17 matches played. He also finished seventh in the club's best and fairest award.
Breakout Season in 2011
Trent had his first full pre-season in 2011. He felt more confident in his fitness. In round 4, he had his first game with 30 disposals. In round 7, he kicked four goals, his highest score yet.
In round 9, Trent won the Yiooken Award. This award is for the best player in the Dreamtime at the 'G game. He averaged 24.4 disposals per game. When Chris Newman was injured, Trent took over as captain for the last five games.
Trent played all 22 matches in 2011, a career first. He led the club in kicks, inside-50s, and clearances. He also received 15 Brownlow Medal votes. He won his first Jack Dyer Medal as the club's best and fairest player.
Becoming a Star in 2012
Before the 2012 season, Trent was made the club's vice-captain. He believed the club could make the finals. In round 12, he had 25 disposals. He was ranked second in the player of the year award. He had a career-best 38 disposals in round 16.
Trent received much praise from football experts. Some called him Richmond's best player since Kevin Bartlett. Others compared him to stars like Chris Judd and Gary Ablett Jr..
Chris Newman stepped down as captain, and Trent was expected to take over. Richmond missed the finals, losing many close games.
Trent won many awards for his great season. He was selected for the 2012 All-Australian team. He won the AFL Coaches Association's champion player of the year award. He also won The Age's Player of the Year. He finished third in the Leigh Matthews Trophy (AFL Players Association most valuable player award).
He won his second straight Jack Dyer Medal. He led the club in total disposals (606). He also kicked 21 goals, his best tally so far.
On Brownlow Medal night, Trent was a favorite to win. He finished with 25 votes, tied for second place. Later, in November 2016, the AFL Commission ruled that Jobe Watson was not eligible for the award. This was due to an issue with his club. Watson had already given back the medal. Trent Cotchin was then formally presented with the Brownlow Medal in December 2016.
Leading the Tigers in 2013
On 23 November 2012, Trent Cotchin was officially named Richmond's captain for the 2013 season. He became the 40th captain in Richmond's history. At 22, he was the youngest Richmond captain in over 100 years. He chose to keep his number nine jumper instead of the traditional number seventeen. He felt a strong connection to number nine from his junior years.
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Trent started the season strongly, averaging 33.3 disposals in his first three games. This was his seventh straight game with over 30 disposals. Former coach Leigh Matthews praised Trent's leadership.
In round 5, Trent hurt his knee. He missed one game but later said the injury lingered. He played his 100th AFL game in round 16. He had 29 disposals in that match.
In round 19, Trent's Tigers made the finals for the first time since 2001. They finished fifth and hosted a final at the MCG. Richmond lost to Carlton in the elimination final. Trent had 26 disposals and two goals.
Trent led the club in total disposals and clearances. He finished fifth in the club's best and fairest award. He received 19 votes in the Brownlow Medal, making him the first Richmond player to get 15+ votes in three straight seasons.
A Consistent Performer in 2014
Trent wanted to be more consistent in 2014. He started well, averaging 30.3 disposals in his first three games. Despite his efforts, the club won only one of these games.
In round 4, Collingwood's Brent Macaffer tagged Trent closely. He had only 13 disposals, his lowest since 2010. Trent felt he was being held illegally. Despite being tagged again, he bounced back with 32 disposals in round 5.
He had a minor ankle injury in round 8 but didn't miss a game. After 13 matches, Richmond had only three wins. Making finals seemed impossible.
In round 15, Trent had a career-best game. He kicked five goals and had 31 disposals against St Kilda. He won the Ian Stewart Medal for this performance. Richmond then won nine straight games, finishing eighth and making the finals!
Richmond lost to Port Adelaide in the elimination final. Trent was criticized for kicking into the wind after winning the coin toss. Coach Damien Hardwick defended him.
Trent won his third Jack Dyer Medal at the end of the season. He became one of the youngest players in AFL history to win three best and fairest awards. He received 18 Brownlow votes, becoming the first Richmond player with four seasons of 15+ votes.
Leading Through Challenges in 2015 and 2016
In December 2014, Trent signed a 5-year contract with Richmond. He reportedly turned down a big offer from Hawthorn. He had some hamstring soreness in the 2015 pre-season.
Trent started 2015 slowly. He received criticism for his "safe" play-style. Coach Hardwick called a loss "insipid," and Trent promised more consistency. Former player Jonathan Brown praised Trent's leadership.
Richmond finished fifth and made the elimination final. Trent became the first Richmond captain since Royce Hart to lead teams to finals in his first three seasons. However, Richmond lost their first final for the third straight season. Trent had only nine possessions in that game.
Before the 2016 pre-season, some suggested Trent should be replaced as captain. Teammate Jack Riewoldt strongly supported Trent. Trent remained captain for his fourth year.
Coach Hardwick wanted to reduce Trent's inside-midfield role. Some media members continued to criticize his captaincy. However, rival players Luke Hodge and Patrick Dangerfield defended him. Trent's wife, Brooke, also publicly supported his leadership.
Trent had a strong start to 2016, averaging 30.4 disposals. In round 6, he fractured his cheekbone but played on. He missed two games. He returned with a career-high 39 disposals. Despite his strong play, Richmond missed the finals. He finished third in the club's best and fairest award.
Trent later said 2016 was his "worst season" and "most challenging year." He thought about whether to continue as captain.
Premiership Glory in 2017
Questions about Trent's captaincy continued into 2017. However, he was again appointed captain.
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In Round 2, he was named best-on-ground. Richmond started the season unbeaten for the first five rounds. This was their best start since 1995. In Round 6, he had game-highs in tackles and pressure acts.
Trent captained Richmond for the 100th time in Round 7, 2017. He became only the fifth player in club history to do so. In Round 8, he broke the club record for most career tackles. He received a fine for a jumper-punch but avoided suspension.
He was named among the top ten midfielders by commentators. He was also in AFL Media's mid-season All Australian team. He led the club in tackles at the mid-season break.
Trent continued his strong form. He received another fine for a gut punch but avoided suspension. Many media outlets noted his surprising omission from the All Australian squad. Coach Hardwick called his season "phenomenal."
Richmond finished in the top four for the first time in 16 years. Trent led his side to a "blistering captain's performance" in the qualifying final win against Geelong. This was the club's first finals win under his leadership.
Richmond then won the preliminary final, reaching the Grand Final for the first time in 35 years. Trent's spot in the Grand Final was uncertain due to a bump on a GWS player. However, the Match Review Panel cleared him, ruling it was part of contesting the ball. This was a controversial decision.
Richmond were underdogs in the Grand Final against Adelaide. But Trent led the team to a historic 48-point victory. He captained the club to its first premiership since 1980. He set a new club record for tackles in a season (139). He finished fourth in the club's best and fairest count.
Continued Leadership in 2018 and 2019
Before the 2018 season, Trent was ranked the league's 23rd best player. He started the season well. He earned maximum votes from coaches in round 3 and round 6. He suffered a minor knee knock but only missed one game.
Trent equaled the second-most contested possessions by a Richmond player in club history in round 8. Commentator Tim Lane called him "the best player in the game." He was named in several mid-year All Australian squads.
His statistical impact reduced in the second half of the season, but his defensive work remained strong. He had a minor hamstring injury in round 21 and missed round 22. He returned for the final game of the season.
Trent was voted the league's best captain by the Players Association. Richmond finished as minor premiers. Trent led the team to a qualifying final win against Hawthorn. Richmond was eliminated in the preliminary final by Collingwood. Trent received 10 Brownlow votes and finished seventh in the club's best and fairest.
Trent had a limited training schedule in the 2019 pre-season. He captained both pre-season matches. In round 1, he had 31 disposals and earned maximum Brownlow and coaches votes.
In round 3, he suffered a hamstring injury. He had a setback and missed seven weeks. He returned in round 11. He missed another game in round 13 due to hamstring soreness. He returned in round 15.
He played his 150th match as Richmond captain in round 18. He became the third player in club history to do so. One week later, he had another minor hamstring injury.
Trent returned in round 23. He was named among his side's best in the qualifying final win over the Brisbane Lions. In the preliminary final, he had 14 disposals and six tackles. A tackle he made in the third quarter was seen as key to sparking Richmond's comeback win over Geelong.
In the Grand Final, Trent had 15 disposals and kicked a goal. Richmond defeated Greater Western Sydney by 89 points. Trent led the club to a second premiership in three years. Coach Damien Hardwick called him "one of the great leaders and great players." He equaled a club record for captaining two premierships. He finished 19th in the club's best and fairest.
A Third Premiership and Retirement in 2020-2023
Trent played his first match of 2020 in the State of Origin for Bushfire Relief Match. He captained Victoria to a victory. He then captained Richmond in round 1, which was played without crowds due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
After an 11-week break, Trent led Richmond to a draw in round 2. He was among the best players. He suffered a minor hamstring injury in round 5. He missed three matches.
Trent returned and received coaches votes for his performance. The following week, he passed Jack Dyer for second place on the club record list for games played as captain (161). He was rested for one match in round 11.
He had best-on-ground performances in round 12 and round 14. Richmond finished third in the regular season. Trent kicked his only goal of the season in a qualifying final loss. He broke Percy Bentley's club record for most games as captain in the semi-final.
He played his 250th career match in the preliminary final. He led his side to a six-point win. Trent became Richmond's first ever three-time premiership captain the following week. He had a "typically fierce" performance in the 31-point Grand Final victory over Geelong. He finished tenth in the club's best and fairest.
In 2021, Trent missed round 1 due to illness. He played well in round 2. He had minor hamstring soreness in round 3 but played on. He injured his hamstring in round 7 and missed three matches. He returned in round 11.
On 14 September 2021, Trent stepped down as Richmond captain. He felt it was the right time.
On 10 August 2023, Trent announced he would retire at the end of the 2023 AFL season. He played his final match in round 23 against North Melbourne at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, alongside fellow retiree Jack Riewoldt.
Trent Cotchin's Player Profile
Trent Cotchin is known as a ball-winning inside midfielder. He is also able to play as a forward for short periods.
In 2019/20, he was named the 23rd best player of the 2010s by the Herald Sun. In 2020, the Herald Sun named him Richmond's fifth best player of the AFL era. After his 2020 premiership, he became the club's first three-time premiership-winning captain.
At the end of the 2020 season, Trent was ranked the 46th best player of the year by the Herald Sun.
Statistics
Updated to the end of round 23, 2023.
| G | Goals | B | Behinds | K | Kicks | H | Handballs | D | Disposals | M | Marks | T | Tackles |
| Season | Team | No. | Games | Totals | Averages (per game) | Votes | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | B | K | H | D | M | T | G | B | K | H | D | M | T | |||||
| 2008 | Richmond | 9 | 15 | 9 | 5 | 134 | 112 | 246 | 73 | 32 | 0.6 | 0.3 | 8.9 | 7.5 | 16.4 | 4.9 | 2.1 | 2 |
| 2009 | Richmond | 9 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 86 | 91 | 177 | 40 | 21 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 8.6 | 9.1 | 17.7 | 4 | 2.1 | 1 |
| 2010 | Richmond | 9 | 17 | 4 | 6 | 202 | 130 | 332 | 40 | 66 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 11.9 | 7.7 | 18.6 | 2.4 | 3.9 | 2 |
| 2011 | Richmond | 9 | 22 | 18 | 18 | 372 | 158 | 530 | 80 | 73 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 16.9 | 7.2 | 24.1 | 3.6 | 3.3 | 15 |
| 2012 | Richmond | 9 | 22 | 21 | 16 | 372 | 234 | 606 | 92 | 107 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 16.9 | 10.6 | 27.5 | 4.2 | 4.9 | 26± |
| 2013 | Richmond | 9 | 22 | 6 | 9 | 365 | 206 | 571 | 86 | 75 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 16.6 | 9.4 | 26.0 | 3.9 | 3.4 | 19 |
| 2014 | Richmond | 9 | 23 | 18 | 11 | 360 | 237 | 597 | 80 | 95 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 15.7 | 10.3 | 26.0 | 3.5 | 4.1 | 18 |
| 2015 | Richmond | 9 | 22 | 12 | 13 | 313 | 227 | 540 | 71 | 74 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 14.2 | 10.3 | 24.5 | 3.2 | 3.4 | 17 |
| 2016 | Richmond | 9 | 20 | 10 | 6 | 291 | 248 | 539 | 56 | 92 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 14.6 | 12.4 | 27.0 | 2.8 | 4.6 | 9 |
| 2017# | Richmond | 9 | 25 | 17 | 8 | 347 | 243 | 590 | 85 | 139 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 13.9 | 9.7 | 23.6 | 3.4 | 5.6 | 8 |
| 2018 | Richmond | 9 | 22 | 5 | 13 | 255 | 230 | 485 | 49 | 103 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 11.6 | 10.5 | 22.0 | 2.2 | 4.7 | 10 |
| 2019# | Richmond | 9 | 14 | 3 | 2 | 159 | 118 | 277 | 37 | 44 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 11.4 | 8.4 | 19.8 | 2.6 | 3.1 | 6 |
| 2020# | Richmond | 9 | 17 | 1 | 3 | 176 | 135 | 311 | 39 | 55 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 10.4 | 7.9 | 18.3 | 2.3 | 3.2 | 5 |
| 2021 | Richmond | 9 | 17 | 2 | 0 | 206 | 147 | 353 | 53 | 57 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 12.1 | 8.6 | 20.8 | 3.1 | 3.4 | 3 |
| 2022 | Richmond | 9 | 19 | 5 | 3 | 220 | 211 | 431 | 59 | 54 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 11.6 | 11.1 | 22.7 | 3.1 | 2.8 | 5 |
| 2023 | Richmond | 9 | 19 | 7 | 8 | 161 | 150 | 311 | 53 | 45 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 8.5 | 7.9 | 16.4 | 2.8 | 2.4 | 2 |
| Career | 306 | 141 | 123 | 4019 | 2877 | 6896 | 993 | 1132 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 13.1 | 9.4 | 22.5 | 3.2 | 3.7 | 148 | ||
Notes
Honours and Achievements
| Brownlow Medal votes | |
| Season | Votes |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 2 |
| 2009 | 1 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2011 | 15 |
| 2012 | 26 |
| 2013 | 19 |
| 2014 | 18 |
| 2015 | 17 |
| 2016 | 9 |
| 2017 | 8 |
| 2018 | 10 |
| 2019 | 6 |
| 2020 | 5 |
| 2021 | 3 |
| 2022 | 5 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| Total | 148 |
| Key: | |
| Green / Bold = Won | |
Team Awards
Individual Awards
- AFL Awards
- 3× AFL premiership captain: 2017, 2019, 2020
- Brownlow Medal: 2012
- AFLCA Champion Player of the Year: 2012
- All-Australian team: 2012
- All-Australian Squad: 2018
- AFLPA best captain: 2018
- 22under22 team: 2012
- AFL Rising Star nominee: 2008
- The Age Player of the Year: 2012
- Yiooken Award: 2011
- Ian Stewart Medal: 2014
- Richmond Club Awards
- 3× Jack Dyer Medal (1st RFC B&F): 2011, 2012, 2014
- Maurie Fleming Medal (3rd RFC B&F): 2016
- Fred Swift Medal (4th RFC B&F): 2017
- Kevin Bartlett Medal (5th RFC B&F): 2013
- Richmond captain: 2013–2021
- Most single season tackles record holder: 2017
- Most career tackles record holder
- Most games as Richmond captain record holder
- Junior Awards
- U/16 Vic Metro captain: 2006
Trent Cotchin's Personal Life
In December 2013, Trent Cotchin married his high school sweetheart, Brooke Kennedy. Brooke is the daughter of former Western Bulldogs player Rick Kennedy. They got married in Flinders, Victoria. They have two daughters and a son. Their children were born in March 2014, June 2016, and July 2019.
Book About Trent Cotchin's Journey
Trent was one of five young footballers featured in the book The Draft: Inside the AFL's Search for Talent. This book by Emma Quayle followed their final year of junior football and their first five seasons in the AFL.
