Did Damien Hardwick rub off on Trent Cotchin? Or was it the other way around?
As Richmond underwent a massive change between the 2016 and 2017 seasons, Hardwick became more of a caring and nurturing coach.
The Tigers opened up and became known for their trust in each other, improved their connection, started to enjoy things more and it all started to click out on the field.
It resulted in their golden era of three premierships in four years between 2017 and 2020.
Ahead of Cotchin’s 300th game, former star defender Alex Rance acknowledged the impact of the former captain in all of this.
He explained that no matter the situation, Cotchin would always keep a cool head amidst the chaos, and perhaps his calm ways helped influence the way Hardwick went about it.
“He was always very measured. I always called him Superman or the Teflon man, where nothing ever sticks,” Rance told SEN.com.au.
“It was like he was unflappable. Even if we were down in a critical moment, he always found a way to be calm whether that was by possession or by words.
“His addresses before and after games were never rah rah rah, they were never hype, that was other people’s responsibility.
“His message was realign, refocus, this is what we did well, this is how we can improve. It was just great leadership.
“Because there is a lot of rah rah rah and emotion pre and post-game, so his ability to stabilise us were his straights, and Dimma’s.
“That’s why they connected so well as a captain and coach duo is because they were both on the same wavelength. There was minimal rah, very much all process.
“Dimma could always give a spray. He was more than capable in the early years, but maybe Trent rubbed off him, I don’t know.
“I’m not sure whether Dimma would admit that or acknowledge that, maybe it’s just a reflection piece for me, but I felt like Dimma became more like Trent than the other way around.”
Assessing Cotchin’s overall leadership, he is virtually in a league of his own if you ask Rance.
When you think of the best leaders of the modern era, the majority of people would probably mention Luke Hodge’s name right away.
The Hawthorn champion won three flags as skipper, as did Cotchin.
They both did it in their own way.
“Hodge was a ‘follow me’ type leader, bang your chest, Braveheart style,” Rance added.
“He was successful with those attributes.
“Compare that style to Trent’s. He was more vulnerable, nurturing, perhaps caring, and they both had similar success in their own different ways.”
Cotchin becomes just the sixth player in Richmond’s history to reach 300 games when he runs out against St Kilda at the MCG on Saturday night.
He joins current teammate Jack Riewoldt, former colleague Shane Edwards, and club greats Kevin Bartlett, Jack Dyer and Francis Bourke in the Tigers’ 300 club.