FORMER West Preston-Lakeside and Reservoir junior Trent Cotchin has retrospectively been named the joint winner of the 2012 Brownlow Medal.
Cotchin and Sam Mitchell finished equal second behind Jobe Watson, but will now receive medals after Watson last week said he would hand back his medal as a result of Essendon’s supplements program.
The decision means Cotchin will become Richmond’s first Brownlow medalist since Ian Stewart in 1971.
Cotchin had a standout 2012 season and also netted his second of three Jack Dyer Medals as Richmond’s best and fairest.
Despite not receiving a Brownlow vote until Round 7, Cotchin went on to poll 26 votes to finish four behind Watson at the end of the count.
He received votes in 11 matches and polled 11 of a possible 12 votes in the final four rounds of the year.
AFL Commission chairman Mike Fitzpatrick said that while it was a difficult decision for the AFL to make, it was also a time to “recognise and celebrate two champions of the game.”
“Sam and Trent are deserving Brownlow medalists because of the quality of their play in 2012. The Commission wishes to pass on the best wishes of the entire football community.”
A four-time junior best and fairest winner at West Preston, Cotchin was a standout coming through the ranks.
He claimed the Under-15 Division 1 best and fairest in 2005 and in the same season was named best on ground in the Roosters’ Under-15 grand final win over Mill Park.
He spent the next two seasons with the Northern Knights in the TAC Cup and was drafted by Richmond with pick No.2 in the 2007 draft, behind Knights’ teammate Matthew Kreuzer.
Cotchin has gone on to play 173 AFL games since making his debut in Round 8, 2008. He assumed the club’s captaincy at the conclusion of the 2012 season.
Both Cotchin and Mitchell will be awarded their Brownlow medals at a special ceremony in front of family and friends in Melbourne next month.
