AFL Richmond v St Kilda: All the action from the MCG in Trent Cotchin’s 300th game
Richmond have surged into ninth spot on the AFL ladder after a gutsy 20-point win over St Kilda in Trent Cotchin’s 300th game. Former coach Damien Hardwick was there to celebrate. More here.
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Damien Hardwick was an interested observer at the MCG last night to honour the man he held three premiership cups up with.
Trent Cotchin’s 300th game brought together a number of Tiger legends for the occasion but it would have been intriguing to get a penny for the former coach’s thoughts.
Hardwick shocked the football world when he pulled the plug back in May after the heartbreaking Round 10 one-point loss to Essendon in the Dreamtime Game.
While he said at the time it had nothing to do with the Tigers ladder position (14th) or the suggestion that one last tilt at the flag with a veteran crew of Cotchin, Jack Riewoldt and Dustin Martin was cooked, there was an overwhelming sense of an era ending.
Right now Richmond are half-a-game outside the eight and ahead of reigning premier Geelong in ninth place.
While that may only last for 18 hours, the point is the Tigers have found a way to be relevant again under new coach Andrew McQualter.
Hardwick would have been impressed with the guts and determination his old team showed on a wet night at the MCG to claim their third win in a row over wannabe finalist St Kilda.
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Despite coming off back-to-back six day breaks and then withstanding a third-quarter comeback from the Saints, they were inspired by that man Cotchin to kick the only two goals of the final quarter to win by 20 points.
His great friend Martin summed it up perfectly after the final siren when asked about the tough conditions: “It was awesome, that’s the way Cotch plays. He has done so much for all of us and we’re so pumped to do it for Cotch.”
Martin also lifted for the occasion finishing with 34 touches while Cotchin ended on 29 disposals. Fittingly the man the Tigers brought in to replace him at the coal face, Tim Taranto, was again enormous with 38 possessions and the match sealing goal late in the final term.
Hardwick would have enjoyed watching the Cotchin show in the opening half.
There was no more of this half-forward stuff, the former skipper started in the guts and wound back the clock five years, crashing and bashing his way to the most disposals on the ground at quarter-time.
Cotchin had 11 touches which included four contested possessions and an inspirational goal at the 26-minute mark which saw him mobbed by his teammates.
Not known for his goal kicking over the journey, the veteran lifted for the moment, nailing the set shot from 45m.
The roar from the Tigers faithful was potentially louder at the two-minute mark of the second quarter when Cotchin kicked his second goal, this time an around-the-corner snap after taking a mark in the forward pocket.
At half-time he was up to 19 possessions and the fairytale milestone storyline was on track. Despite a few wobbles over the next hour, Richmond and one of its favourite sons got the ending everyone wanted.
After Shai Bolton kicked the final goal of the game in the last minute, the camera panned to Hardwick in the stands with the vision of the former coach playing on the big screen.
He smiled and then waved to the crowd, giving every indication he was loving life as a fan on the beers watching in the stands. Who knows, he just might be back there in September.
Now that’s something he wouldn’t have been thinking about a month ago.
MATCH REPORT: TIGERS DO IT FOR COTCH
Richmond has ended an emotional week with a gutsy 20-point win over St Kilda in Trent Cotchin’s 300th game at a wet and wild MCG on Saturday night.
The ambush was on early but Cotchin refused to have his milestone night spoiled by Ross Lyon’s plucky Saints.
After conceding the opening four goals of the game and having to withstand a second half Saints fightback, Cotchin said ‘come with me’ and played a pivotal role in win.
Best-on-ground Tim Taranto kicked the sealing goal with a banana goal on the run.
Three-time Richmond premiership coach Damien Hardwick returned from his holiday to watch Cotchin’s milestone and celebrate the victory.
It was a win that keeps the Tigers season alive after a big week for the club with news of charges against midfielder Marlion Pickett and the car crash of premiership star Bachar Houli.
It was a win of substance for the Tigers as it puts them back into the top eight calculations, while it was a blow to the Saints top four hopes.
The Saints, led by Brad Crouch, tried to gatecrash the Cotchin party early, kicking the first four goals of the game.
Forward Max King, one of the inform targets in the league since returning from injury, converted from two strong contested marks to have the warning bells ringing in the Tigers coaches box.
But the Tigers, sparked by a Cotchin onslaught through the middle, found a way back into the contest.
Two long range missiles from Jayden Short and two opportunistic goals from Shai Bolton was the catalyst.
But Cotchin’s goal from 50 metres out drew the loudest applause.
When Ben Miller goaled after the siren, the Tigers had a 10-point lead at quarter time.
The Saints noticeably lifted their tackle pressure in the second term.
After Cotchin stretched the Tigers lead to 16, the Saints started to chip away at the deficit with goals to Dan Butler and Anthony Caminiti.
But when Kamdyn McIntosh stemmed the flow - bobbing up for a goal at the back of a pack - it halted the Saints momentum.
Miller snapped a ripping goal in the rain to restore the Tigers to a healthy 17 points at half time.
Torrential rain saw the start of the third quarter played almost exclusively between the arcs.
It took 18 minutes for the first goal of the second half when Nick Vlaustin goaled on the run to make it a game-high 25-point lead.
When Butler bobbed up for his third goal, it gave the Saints hope, and then Higgins scored soccer style and it was game on with the Tigers up by just seven at the last change.
The fourth quarter was edge of your seat stuff with the Saints winning the territory battle but the Tigers repelled well.
Taranto, a stand out with 38 disposals, 18 contested possessions, 10 tackles and 147 ranking points, produced the superb game sealer with 2.25 left on the clock, before Bolton kicked his third to put some icing on a sweet cake.
WHERE HAS THIS COTCH BEEN ALL YEAR?
A proud Richmond coach Andrew McQualter paid tribute to Cotchin, who turned back the clock with his best performance of the season.
The veteran racked up 29 disposals, 14 contested possessions and two goals.
“He played a game of football, didn’t he?” McQualter said.
“What have you been doing all year? That was a little drive by.
“I thought Trent was huge, that first quarter, first half in particular, and then some huge moments late, it shows the leader he has been for our football club for such a long period of time, he stood up again.”
Cotchin was not too worried about the Saints fast start, which saw them kick the opening four goals of the game.
He said “there was not a huge amount of stress” and felt like the Tigers could get back into the game if they were a bit cleaner with the ball.
“On the back of the way we;ve been playing the last couple of weeks, we had lots of confidence going into the game and knew the way the Saints want to play,” he said.
“It’s not the ideal way, they kicked the first three maybe, but always have confidence our boys will dig in and find a way to get back into the game.”
Cotchin capped his milestone game with two goals - much to the delight of his three children.
“It’s funny, my kids are always into me about not kicking goals, so that was the first thought that popped into my head,” he said with a laugh.
“They’re the moments that are really special, the way that I’ve been supported, not just this week, but throughout my career from particularly my teammates.
“That’s the stuff that I’ll cherish when it’s all said and done whenever that may be.”
GUARD FOR ONE OF THE GREATS
Man of the moment Cotchin received a guard of honour as he entered the MCG for his 300th AFL game.
The 33-year-old triple premiership star ran out with his three children and gave wife Brooke a kiss on his way out.
When he broke through the banner, he joined the illustrious 300 club, which includes Tigers champions Kevin Bartlett (403 games), Jack Riewoldt (339), Jack Dyer (311), Shane Edwards (303) and Francis Bourke (300).
LONG AND SHORT OF IT
Is Jayden Short the most lethal kick in the league from outside 50?
The running defender launched two spectacular long range goals in the first term, one from the edge of the centre square and another from 55 metres out on the angle.
Short finished with a massive 713 metres gained from 23 disposals.
WILKIE FUMES
Have standards slipped when it comes to the manning of the mark?
Callum Wilkie was filthy with the umpire when he attempted a short pass deep in defence and it was cut off by Liam Baker, who appeared to move laterally off the mark.
Baker turned his steal into a crucial goal.
SCOREBOARD
Tigers 6.4 10.7 11.10 13.12 (90)
Saints 5.0 8.2 11.3 11.4 (70)
BEST
Tigers: Taranto, Cotchin, Bolton, Martin, Vlaustin, Short.
Saints: Crouch, Butler, Sinclair, Windhager, Wood, Hill.
GOALS
Tigers: Bolton 3, Short 2, Cotchin 2, Miller 2, McIntosh, Baker, Vlaustin, Taranto.
Saints: Butler 3, King 2, Higgins 2, Gresham, Battle, Caminiti, Byrnes.
CROWD: 62,686 at the MCG
VOTES
3. Tim Taranto (Richmond)
2. Trent Cotchin (Richmond)
1. Brad Crouch (St Kilda)
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