Former Richmond captain Trent Cotchin has turned again the clock in his three hundredth recreation to encourage the finals-hunting Tigers to an important 20-point win over St Kilda.
In the primary half alone on the MCG, Cotchin had 19 disposals, eight contested possessions, three clearances, three inside 50s and booted two clutch objectives that introduced the home down and revived the Tigers after a sluggish begin.
With former coach Damien Hardwick amongst these within the stands, Cotchin, 33, completed with 29 disposals to assist Richmond prevail 13.12 (90) to 11.4 (70) in teeming rain and go away them simply two factors exterior the highest eight.
“He played a game of football, didn’t he?” interim coach Andrew McQualter stated of, and to, Cotchin, who was sitting subsequent to him, earlier than cheekily including a “what have you been doing all year?”
“Trent was huge. That first quarter, first half in particular, then some huge moments again late.
“It reveals you the chief he has been for our soccer membership for such a protracted time frame. He stood up once more.”
Boom recruit Tim Taranto (38 disposals, 10 tackles, six clearances and a goal) continued his stellar form while Dustin Martin (34 touches, seven clearances) and defenders Nick Vlastuin and Jayden Short were excellent.
St Kilda’s Brad Crouch (33 touches) and Brad Hill (31) fought hard while former Tiger Dan Butler (three goals) provided a spark as the Saints spurned a chance to draw level with the top four on points.
Initially the Saints appeared poised to spoil the party, booting the first four goals.
Just before quarter time, with Richmond trailing by 15, Cotchin marked just inside 50, then drove through a wonderful goal that sent the crowd of 62,686 fans into raptures.
Every Tiger ran to Cotchin – and it started a run of five consecutive majors.
“That was very a lot on my restrict on the subject of the space so I did suppose it might fall 10 metres quick, however gave it every little thing I had,” Cotchin instructed reporters.
“But they’re the moments which are actually particular. The method that I’ve been supported, not simply this week, all through my profession, from significantly my teammates has been actually particular.
“And that’s the stuff that I’ll cherish when it’s all said and done – whenever that’ll be.”
Cotchin snapped the primary aim of the second time period and the Tigers acquired so far as 25 factors in entrance within the third quarter.
But Saints smalls Butler, Jack Higgins and Ryan Byrnes minimize the deficit to seven factors on the ultimate change.
The ultimate quarter proved an arm wrestle till Taranto and Shai Bolton iced the sport.
“We wanted to take the emotion out, silence the crowd and we did that really well, I thought – we had four on the board early,” coach Ross Lyon stated.
“So we were really clear on a couple of things Richmond did, particularly through their midfield about how they position and come out of stoppage. Even off turnover, their positioning.
“We weren’t on the degree of making use of the strategy we needed with that and that damage us.”
Young Richmond tall Samson Ryan (ankle) was substituted out at half-time.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
