Retired triple-premiership captain Trent Cotchin believes Andrew McQualter has the attributes to make a “brilliant” senior coach and may steer Richmond again into the AFL finals subsequent season.
McQualter took the reins when Damien Hardwick stepped down in May and stays in competition to be appointed the brand new Gold Coast coach’s full-time successor at Punt Road.
Melbourne assistant Adem Yze can also be within the working, having narrowly missed out on the Greater Western Sydney job to former Tigers assistant Adam Kingsley final 12 months.
Fellow assistant coaches Daniel Giansiracusa (Essendon), Chris Newman (Hawthorn) and Xavier Clarke (Richmond) had additionally been on Richmond’s shortlist however are reportedly not a part of the method.
Cotchin labored intently with McQualter after the previous St Kilda and Gold Coast utility’s arrival at Richmond in 2014, initially in a growth function, and backed the 37-year-old to step into the full-time senior teaching place.
“From an attributes point of view, he’s got everything that’s required to be a brilliant senior coach,” Cotchin instructed reporters on Wednesday.
“His ideas and plans, if he was to be the successful candidate, are really exciting for the club.
“But I’m certain the membership are doing every part they’ll to pick the fitting individual for the function to take (them) ahead.”
McQualter had a positive 7-6 record as interim coach but Richmond finished 13th, two wins outside the top eight.
Cotchin was not at all surprised by the way McQualter seamlessly stepped in to fill the void left by Hardwick.
“I anticipated him to be good at what he did,” Cotchin stated.
“He’s so invested within the gamers and the care and ensuring that he maximises the expertise that is on the listing.
“It’s always hard when the finals opportunity gets taken away from you, which happened probably two or three weeks out from finals. Keeping a team motivated is really hard.
“But the best way that they carried out within the final spherical with just a few gamers out was actually particular and important.”
Cotchin, who retired after his farewell match in round 23, has stepped away from Richmond after 16 years at Punt Road.
The 33-year-old has found a new role in professional sport with National Basketball League club South East Melbourne Phoenix, who have announced Cotchin as their new No.1 ticket holder.
Cotchin will also engage with the basketball outfit’s high-performance team as a leadership consultant.
“It’s positively one thing that I’m actually enthusiastic about and the membership is basically enthusiastic about,” Cotchin stated.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
