AFL star Trent Cotchin’s wife posts heartbreaking note over daughter’s illness

Richmond captain Trent Cotchin’s wife Brooke has explained the devastating reason she told her husband to stay away from their family.

Richmond captain Trent Cotchin’s wife Brooke has made a devastating revelation that she told her husband to stay away from the family.

The star’s immediate future remains unclear after the club confirmed on Wednesday he may return to Victoria to be with his family.

It was revealed earlier on Wednesday Cotchin had spoken to officials about leaving the Tigers’ camp in Sydney in order to return home after one of his daughters was admitted to hospital.

Cotchin has been forced to leave Melbourne to continue the AFL season, leaving his family behind in Melbourne as a result of the city’s lockdown.

The news emerged when Cotchin’s wife Brooke posted a photo on Instagram showing one of the couple’s daughters in a hospital bed.

The family’s difficult personal matter took a dark turn on Wednesday night when Brooke explained the reason she told her husband to remain with his teammates despite admitting to wanting him home.

She posted a heartbreaking message on Instagram claiming she wanted to put the needs of the football club before her own family — partly motivated out of fear that she would be abused online by cowardly trolls.

She said their ill child also wants her father to play in the Tigers’ Dream Time game in Perth this weekend against Essendon and to watch on the television.

Trent Cotchin.

Brooke Cotchin posted this photo on Tuesday.

“Trent’s ill daughter is probably the only reason why he is still there,” she posted on Instagram.

“She is the one telling him that she wants him to play on Saturday night.”

She said she was scared about what may happen to her should her husband leave the team to be with his family.

“I have begged my husband not to come home not because I don’t need him right now but because I would be scared of the abuse I would have to deal with (from online trolls),” she wrote.

“I want him to do what is best for the Richmond Football Club and his teammates and I know that is not coming home right now.

Brooke Cotchin insta post 1

Richmond captain Trent Cotchin, wife Brooke and their three children Harper, Mackenzie and Parker.

“I posted on social media because I was scared that people would see my other 2 children with our family who are caring for them whilst I am by my very ill daughters (sic) side in hospital.

“I posted it because I was worried people would accuse me of not living by covid lockdown rules because my husband is away and it is impossible for me to do it on my own.

“I am doing my very best just like everyone else is right now.”

Richmond released a statement on Wednesday announcing simply that Cotchin has not returned home yet and remains with his teammates. The statement said the club is monitoring the situation.

The club will fly to Perth later this week.

“Richmond acknowledges interest in captain Trent Cotchin’s availability ahead of this Saturday’s Dreamtime game,” the statement read.

Richmond captain Trent Cotchin, wife Brooke and their three children Harper, Mackenzie, and Parker.

“Cotchin remains a part of the football program in Sydney, and is monitoring a personal matter at home in Victoria.”

It comes just weeks after it was revealed Brooke contemplated suicide as a result of her tumultuous time in the AFL’s isolation bubble in Queensland last year.

She said last month her role in breaking the league’s biosecurity protocols in the middle of the pandemic had led to online abuse.

She said she could not get out of bed for days, suffered panic attacks and even stopped receiving calls from her mum.

The couple ultimately ended up paying a $25,000 fine issued from the AFL to the football club as a result of the infraction.

The premiership-winning star last year said there was a “genuine chance” he and some of his teammates would elect to remain home and sit out the 2020 season if forced to play the season away from Victoria.

The Tigers went on to win the 2020 Grand Final.

Originally published as AFL star Trent Cotchin’s wife posts heartbreaking note over daughter’s illness