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Fox Footy's Redemption documentary reveals Trent Cotchin's pre-match present to injured teammate Jack Graham
Jack Graham was one of the hardluck stories of last year's Grand Final, missing out on Richmond's romp after being injured in the preliminary final. Skipper Trent Cotchin found a special way to help the tough on-baller feel he was part of the triumph.
Richmond captain Trent Cotchin presented injured teammate Jack Graham with a playing guernsey in the moments before last year’s Grand Final, determined to make the young midfielder feel part of the day.
AFL pre-season track watch: Players who have been hit by injury in the lead up to season 2020
Graham was heroic in the Tigers’ preliminary final the previous week, defying the wishes of coaching staff to play on after suffering a dislocated shoulder in the opening quarter against Geelong.
The injury meant Graham was sidelined for the premiership decider.
In Fox Footy’s Redemption – Richmond documentary, set to air for the first time tonight, Graham reveals he received an unexpected text message from Cotchin the night before last year’s Grand Final.
“Cotch actually sent me a message the night before saying, ‘Hey mate, I want you to be down in the rooms before we run out’,” Graham said.
“I was thinking, ‘All right, I hope he doesn’t get me to say anything, I’ll be a bit nervous’. But he actually prepared a guernsey for me so as the boys ran out I put on a guernsey which felt pretty special. Not many people know about this but it made me feel part of the team and that’s why Cotch is such a great leader and captain, because he cares about every single player.
“It was pretty nice. I think I might have even shedded a tear. But it was a pretty special moment and as much as I wasn’t going to be playing with the boys, I definitely felt a part of it.”
Redemption – Richmond premieres at 7.30pm Thursday on Fox Footy.
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Updates
Stats guru’s surprise KFC SuperCoach bolter
Fantasy Freako, Herald Sun
With the Marsh Community Series now behind us, it’s time to turn our attention to the all-important home-and-away rounds.
It wouldn’t be a pre-season without bandwagon players and this year the likes of Dan Houston and Christian Petracca have made plenty of headlines. Both players have moved into permanent midfield roles, but from a KFC SuperCoach point of view, will they boom or be a bust? Only time will tell.
Looking at my team ahead of Round 1, finding basement price rookies with good job security has been difficult and, as a result, I’ve had to spend a bit more in that department. From a structure point of view, though, I have opted for the traditional guns and rookies approach, but with a little twist. The one caveat is that there’s always room for change, and that will all depend on Round 1 teams.
SEE THE FULL TEAM: https://bit.ly/2vgSbQk
How AFL skippers are tackling toilet paper crisis
LAUREN WOOD
Panic buying, social media, carb-loading and binge-watching.
As the AFL’s captains — plus a few stand-ins — came together at Marvel Stadium this week, we hit them up and it turns out they’re facing similar dilemmas to the rest of us when it comes to getting their mitts on toilet paper.
Check out what they’re watching, who they’re dobbing in as this year’s coach’s pets and who they think will take out this year’s cup.
SEE THE FULL ANSWERS: https://bit.ly/3cL6ywZ
Crows sign utility Ayce Taylor
Adelaide has signed athletic utility Ayce Taylor as a rookie for the 2020 season.
The North Melbourne VFL-listed player joins the Crows via the AFL’s pre-season supplemental selection period.
“Ayce Taylor adds another piece; we’re really pleased to put him on our list. He brings high-level speed and agility, which was really enticing for us,” Crows recruiting boss Hamish Ogilvie said.
“He’s an athletic player that excels in the air but is equally adept on the ground which sets him apart from other prospects.
“Steve McCrystal (Adelaide's Eastern Recruiting Manager) has never dropped off his interest and pushed hard to get Ayce to the Club during the 2019 AFL draft period, so that gave us real confidence.
“Ayce has been training really well at North Melbourne and has impressed during match play with their AFL-listed players so we’re looking forward to seeing what he can bring when he joins our group.”
What can Cats expect from Stevens?
Geelong aren’t looking for former St Kilda star Jack Steven to replace Tim Kelly.
If Jack can just be Jack then that will suit the Cats just fine as they look to put another preliminary final disappointment behind them and challenge for the flag.
And after overcoming a minor calf injury, Steven showed enough in a pre-season clash against Essendon to suggest that he’s capable of adding his best footy to the mix at his new club.
“The great thing about Jack Steven is that he leaves nothing in reserve,” Geelong football boss Simon Lloyd said.
“Every session he does it absolutely everything that he’s got … he’s highly driven.
“He really does have a strong influence out on the training track.
“As much as anything now it’s just about Jack getting used to the way that we play, our structures and working closely with our midfield group and half- forwards.
“He’s really been embraced by the group.”
Kelly played a huge role in propelling Geelong to last year’s minor premiership, so it’s fair enough that questions are asked about the effect his loss will have after he got his wish for a go-home trade to West Coast.
But the Cats are widely expected to be contenders once again. Their core of star veterans that includes skipper Joel Selwood, Patrick Dangerfield, Tom Hawkins and Gary Ablett remains.
The likes of Mitch Duncan, Mark Blicavs, Tom Stewart, Zach Tuohy and Luke Dahlhaus are all at or near the top of their games.
But it’s the younger group beneath those hardened veterans that are expected to keep the Cats in the flag hunt.
“Esava Ratugolea mentioned it right at the start of pre-season; it’s really up to that younger group to have a significant influence on where this team is going,” Lloyd said.
“We’ve seen significant physical improvement in Esava and others like Quinton Narkle, Charlie Constable, Mark O’Connor, Brandan Parfitt, Lachie Fogarty, Tom Atkins, Gryan Miers, Jordan Clark and Jack Henry.
“There’s actually a large core of players there that will be playing football together for a long period of time.” Ratugolea shapes as a key piece of the Cats’ puzzle.
The versatile youngster is part of a big man brigade that is still finding its most potent form.
Will he spend most of his time up forward with Hawkins and former Crow Josh Jenkins or is he best used in the ruck where Rhys Stanley and Darcy Fort are in the mix following Zac Smith’s move to Gold Coast?
– AAP
We are closing in on Round 1 …
Swans stay Lakeside amid ongoing SCG wait
Of the various changes at Sydney over the past year, the redevelopment of Lakeside Oval might just be the most important given the ongoing wait for access to the SCG.
The iconic venue is hosting trans-Tasman ODIs on Friday and Sunday, the latter falling just six days prior to the Swans’ season-opening clash with Adelaide at Adelaide Oval.
It’s fair to say the scheduling of cricket games in mid-March pleased few at the Swans, who hold out hope the venue’s drop-in pitch debate will swing in their favour.
But the upside is John Longmire’s men, who trained at a range of venues dotted around Sydney during a nomadic 2019 pre-season, will continue to use the full- sized training oval they’ve called home throughout summer.
“It’s the first time we’ve ever had it. To have access to a ground of that size and quality has been really important,” Longmire told AAP.
“The surface is great. Even during that heavy rain period, we still didn’t miss a training session.
“We used to only be able to do 14 versus 14, it (prior to redevelopment) wasn’t big enough and the tram line went down the wing.
“But we’re obviously keen to get on the SCG as quickly as possible. Our players love training there.”
The Swans’ first home game in 2020 is against Essendon on March 27. There was a three-day break between the 2015 World Cup final and the ensuing AFL season opener at the MCG, however, the notable difference is that venue has a drop-in pitch.
The SCG Trust last year formed a subcommittee to consider the merits of an AFL push to introduce a drop-in wicket at its ground, with Cricket Australia and Cricket NSW making their concerns clear.
“I just look at what’s happened everywhere else,” Longmire said.
“We’ve seen some great cricket played this summer on drop-in wickets. Adelaide Oval, the MCG, now Perth. Test matches.
“There’s always going to be good wickets and bad wickets. Drop-ins aren’t immune to that either.” The SCG was pushed to its limits last year when the demolition of Allianz Stadium meant it was also hosting NRL, Super Rugby and A-League contests.
“Every year there are discussions (about access),” Longmire said.
“When we’re contractually able to get on it then when it’s actually right (to train on), when the cricket wicket is gone.
“You have to allow the grass to seed and take hold, you don’t want to get on it too early.”
– AAP
Lauren Wood
Richmond has parted ways with its senior assistant coach Jacob Thompson, who has become the first casualty of the Tigers' so far winless AFL Women's season.
Thompson, who served as right-hand man to women's senior coach Tom Hunter, left the club abruptly last week in the lead-up to the team's 45-point loss to Greater Western Sydney in Wagga.
Thompson, 28, worked closely with Hunter as the team’s VFLW forwardline coach in 2019 before playing a pivotal role in the club’s AFLW debut campaign this year as midfield coach and senior assistant. He had previously overseen the James Hird Academy at Essendon.
The Herald Sun understands that things reached a head in recent weeks when Thompson endeavoured to challenge the program being overseen by Hunter, with the partnership simply becoming untenable.
The issue then culminated in a meeting at the club last Wednesday night, attended by key Tigers officials, which saw Thompson leave his role immediately.
Further adding to Thompson’s woes, he then suffered a broken leg in an intra-club match at his local club, Greenvale, that night.
The star local forward is understood to be incredibly disappointed by his departure.
The club – which joined the AFLW competition this year – has endured a 0-5 start to its women’s football campaign, and will take on St Kilda on Saturday at Moorabbin.
The Tigers have been contacted for comment.
Richmond's women's football boss Kate Sheahan said Thompson’s "coaching philosophies no longer aligned with the football department and the decision was taken to part ways".Richmond confirmed to the Herald Sun that specialist coach Nathan Chapman would move into the role of midfield coach for the remainder of the season.
"The club would like to thank Jacob for his hard work within the women’s program and wish him all the best for the future," the Tigers said in a statement
Tigers part ways with AFLW senior assistant coach
Lauren Wood
Richmond has parted ways with its senior assistant coach Jacob Thompson, who has become the first casualty of the Tigers' so far winless AFL Women's season.
Thompson, who served as right-hand man to women's senior coach Tom Hunter, left the club abruptly last week in the lead-up to the team's 45-point loss to Greater Western Sydney in Wagga.
Thompson, 28, worked closely with Hunter as the team’s VFLW forwardline coach in 2019 before playing a pivotal role in the club’s AFLW debut campaign this year as midfield coach and senior assistant. He had previously overseen the James Hird Academy at Essendon.
The Herald Sun understands that things reached a head in recent weeks when Thompson endeavoured to challenge the program being overseen by Hunter, with the partnership simply becoming untenable.
The issue then culminated in a meeting at the club last Wednesday night, attended by key Tigers officials, which saw Thompson leave his role immediately.
Further adding to Thompson’s woes, he then suffered a broken leg in an intra-club match at his local club, Greenvale, that night.
The star local forward is understood to be incredibly disappointed by his departure.
The club – which joined the AFLW competition this year – has endured a 0-5 start to its women’s football campaign, and will take on St Kilda on Saturday at Moorabbin.
The Tigers have been contacted for comment.
Richmond's women's football boss Kate Sheahan said Thompson’s "coaching philosophies no longer aligned with the football department and the decision was taken to part ways".Richmond confirmed to the Herald Sun that specialist coach Nathan Chapman would move into the role of midfield coach for the remainder of the season.
"The club would like to thank Jacob for his hard work within the women’s program and wish him all the best for the future," the Tigers said in a statement
Ultimate Marsh Series SuperCoach review
The final weekend of practice matches offers the best information for picking our SuperCoach teams. Didn’t see every game? Don’t panic. The Doctor SuperCoach experts were watching every minute. Here’s who starred and who flopped.
Check out the full review: https://bit.ly/2ICw9KY
