Country footy: Trent Cotchin’s brilliant return for Ballan

AFL champion Trent Cotchin caused parking congestion before making an eye-popping return to footy with a Central Highlands league club. Here’s the details.

Former Richmond captain Trent Cotchin playing for Ballan on Saturday. Pictures: Carlton Draught

Trent Cotchin had 30 touches and kicked four of Ballan’s five goals in his return to country footy on Saturday.

Despite Cotchin’s dominance, Ballan lost to Newlyn by 46 points, 12.10 (82) to 5.6 (36), but a crowd of over 2000 at Ballan Recreation Reserve had a day to remember as the Brownlow medallist embraced the day.

“Great day,’’ Ballan president David O’Hanlan declared.

“Biggest crowd we’ll ever see. It was like a final, there were that many people here. Cars were parked down the street and in the neighbour’s driveways, on front lawns...there were bloody cars and people everywhere.’’

Trent Cotchin playing for Ballan. Pictures: Carlton Draught

Trent Cotchin of the Tigers celebrates.

Cotchin played in the middle and up forward, swapping with Ballan’s captain-coach Harley Bongart.

Ryan Bongart, Lachlan Conlan and Daniel Nielsen were named in Ballan’s best players alongside Cotchin.

“We’ve got a young team and they were awestruck I think by having him on the side but everyone’s got a little bit out of it,’’ O’Hanlan said.

“Really nice bloke, it feels like he’s lived here for a long time. If he got paid a dollar a signature he’d be a wealthy man.’’

Former Western Bulldogs player Kieran Collins kicked three goals for Newlyn, which counted Sean Willmott, Tom Carey and Chris Giampaolo among its best players.

Cotchin was playing for the Blues as part of the Carlton Draft series in which ex-AFL players head back to local level.