Trent Cotchin’s future rests in the grey area between what we know and what can be proved

TRENT Cotchin’s availability for Saturday’s Grand Final rests in that grey area between what we know and what can be proved, writes Jon Ralph.

TRENT Cotchin’s availability for Saturday’s Grand Final rests in that grey area between what we know and what can be proved.

What we know from a year of evidence is that the Richmond captain has spent the season on edge.

Every chance he has had to heap the pain on an opponent he has taken it.

INCONCLUSIVE: MEDICAL TWIST THAT COULD SAVE COTCH

FOR & AGAINST: IS COTCH IN OR COTCH OUT FOR GF

HIGH HITS: IS THIS THE VISION THAT SAVES COTCH

Whether through a tackle-to-hurt mentality or the pair of punches he has meted out to Jack Lonie and Lachie Neale.

What the footage from Saturday’s clash with Dylan Shiel shows us is a player tackling first, then considering the ball second.

Cotchin dropped his shoulder into the GWS star and with arm tucked made contact to the head, rather than reaching out for the ball.

Trent Cotchin collects Dylan Shiel hit on Saturday. Picture: Channel 7

It’s hard to scoop up the pill if you don’t have your arms outstretched.

For an MRP considering whether Cotchin was genuinely contesting the ball - the critical phrase here - that decision will worry them.

Already this year they have thrown out five or six cases that saw a player concussed or hurt - because the player that hurt him was going for the ball.

But if they decide he was bumping to hurt and clear space first, he is in strife.

There are three precedents that help Cotchin, all of which the MRP judged to be players reasonably contesting the ball despite collecting rivals high.

Jeremy McGovern (on Jarrad Waite) and Zak Jones (on Mitch Hannan) this year and Dan Hannebery (on Michael Hurley in 2014) all escaped penalty.

Dan Hannebery escaped sanction for this hit in 2014.

Zak Jones collects Mitch Hannan in Round 15.

Recent MRP member Jimmy Bartel said on 3AW of Cotchin’s hit: “Accidents happen and that is where it lies”.

So while some believe Cotchin has no case to answer, they will think long and hard about a medium-impact one-week suspension.

Cotchin’s hope is that while they might suspect he was trying to hurt Shiel, it’s hard to prove that.

Not only was the ball close to Cotchin when he hit Shiel, he actually ended up with it eventually.

And the MRP won’t even be able to confirm Shiel was concussed in the incident.

The Herald Sun understands GWS doctors aren’t sure if Shiel was concussed in that hit or one 10 minutes later with David Astbury.

Delayed concussion occurs in 25 per cent of cases, but it is entirely possibly a shaken Shiel suffered concussion in the second incident.

What it does is give the MRP wiggle room, when they aren’t sure of Cotchin’s motivation and aren’t sure if he concussed Shiel.

When the dust settles on this incident - and this season - the AFL must urgently address two priorities.

It needs to take a long hard look at an extra concussion sub given the role head knocks have played in the Giants’ two preliminary final losses.

Callan Ward played just 33 minutes of last year’s prelim before knocked into next week, with Dylan Shiel lasting even less time.

Why is it different to any other injury?

Because there is such a hard line on ruling players out with concussion.

Dylan Shiel can run around with his arm nearly out of its socket, and yet he cannot play with half a concussion.

Dylan Shiel on the run during the preliminary final against Richmond. Picture: Phil Hillyard

He is automatically done for the day or the AFL rains down pain on the club and its doctors.

You won’t get too many commentators bemoaning the unfairness of GWS plight, yet GWS have lost two of their best players in the two most important games they have played.

The other issue is the timing of tribunal cases.

To its credit the AFL tried to have this case considered by the MRP on Sunday but two of the four members had previous commitments.

The feeling from those in the AFL’s judiciary is that Steve Hocking wants cases heard the day after incidents occur.

If it means the AFL needs to properly fund the MRP, collating medical reports and TV footage overnight, then so be it.