Mark Robinson: Trent Cotchin’s tackle ignited Richmond’s comeback win over Geelong
The headlines will be all about Tom Lynch’s five goals but an inspiring play from captain Trent Cotchin early in the third quarter was the catalyst for Richmond’s win, writes Mark Robinson.
Mark Robinson
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Someone from Richmond had to make a statement.
There’s something spiritual and more pronounced when it comes from the skipper.
For sure, Tom Lynch will make the headlines for his five goals and clutch marking, and Bachar Houli for enhancing his finals reputation, and Dion Prestia for another wonderful performance in the midfield, and whoever else you want to mention.
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But great wins are born from great moments. Trent Cotchin’s effort at the start of the third quarter might not be remembered by some, but will be highlighted by others as when the statement was made.
Make no mistake, the first 60 minutes of Friday night’s match had choke all over it.
The Tigers were awful and Geelong was dominant.
At halftime the Cats led by 21 points — it should’ve been 35.
This wasn’t supposed to be the script, but when is a preliminary final so straightforward and uncomplicated?
At halftime, this wasn’t just a choke — it was a consecutive preliminary-final choke after last year’s drubbing to Collingwood.
This year, though, the Tigers made amends.
And it started 50 seconds into the third quarter.
Try to picture it, and feel it, and the response from it.
Cotchin nailed Rhys Stanley with a tackle at half-back, which led to Lynch kicking his third goal, which led to Richmond’s fabulous third quarter, which led to Richmond’s fabulous win.
The Tigers kicked five consecutive goals in the third quarter.
And when Lynch kicked his fourth to give Richmond the lead, the Tiger Army was believing Lynch was Royce Hart.
Yet, Cotchin’s moment cannot be underestimated.
It might be just a tackle — one of 111 laid on Friday night — but it was much more than that.
Consider that Geelong was dominant in every aspect of the game.
At quarter-time, the Cats’ tackling efficiency was 77 per cent and Richmond’s was 42 per cent.
Geelong stuck its opponents, Richmond didn’t. The overall tackling numbers were 20-12. The inside 50s were 17-10.
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Let’s try not to drown ourselves in stats here, but significant was the forward-half pressure points. Geelong had 97 and Richmond 58.
All the criticism directed at Geelong and coach Chris Scott for its game style and crazy placements was silenced.
The Cats started well. Tick.
They won contested ball. Tick.
Pressure was finals-like. Tick.
Then at the start of the second quarter, there was a missed tackle on Kelly by Josh Caddy and Kelly kicked the goal.
The choke was squeezing and Richmond played a style, or was forced to play a style, that was un-Richmond-like.
Spot fires were everywhere.
An injured Jack Graham ran off through Geelong’s interchange bench.
Dustin Martin had a leg injury and was kicking mongrel drop punts.
Shai Bolton missed a snap; Jack Riewoldt was tackled by Joel Selwood as he kicked for goal and lost the ball.
There were fumbles and static football and the pressure was telling.
Geelong was Richmond. It would win the ball at half-back, switch, run, bounce and get a shot at goal.
At one point, Martin gave up the chase and ran to the bench.
At another point, he tried it to pick a fight with Patrick Dangerfield.
Delivery into the forward line was terrible. Jason Castagna was chased down and tackled when shooting for goal.
Martin had another shot for goal smothered by Sam Menegola. Bachar Houli ran over the ball. Dylan Grimes kicked panic torps. And Prestia was run down by Selwood to stop yet another shot at goal.
And when Cotchin gave away a 50m penalty to Dangerfield just before halftime, and Dangerfield kicked it, it felt like the wheels had fallen off the Tigers for the night, and for the
season.
But football isn’t about a half.
It’s about belief and leadership and moments and effort that underpins all of it.
So, when Cotchin nailed that tackle on Stanley, after so many before had been broken, the Tigers knew they were up for the fight.
From there, the goals came and Lynch starred, and Houli ran, and Prestia was a champ, and whoever else you want to mention.
But it might not ever have happened if the skipper didn’t make that tackle.
It was a moment among many for the Tigers.
Originally published as Mark Robinson: Trent Cotchin’s tackle ignited Richmond’s comeback win over Geelong