Cotchin and Mitchell crowned Brownlow medallists

Richmond captain Trent Cotchin and former Hawthorn star Sam Mitchell have received their 2012 Brownlow Medals in front of family and friends at a ceremony in Melbourne.

The duo finished runners-up to Essendon's Jobe Watson at the original count but were confirmed as the winners after Watson relinquished his medal following his doping ban.

"As Sam and I have discussed since knowing that we were going to be awarded the 2012 medal, we had to embrace it," Cotchin said upon receiving the medal.

"It was an exciting opportunity to invite our closest friends and family and those who have supported us all the way through."

Richmond's 1971 Brownlow winner Ian Stewart presented the medal to Cotchin and then 1999 medallist Shane Crawford did the same with Mitchell, his former Hawthorn teammate.

"It's obviously different - something no one else has been through," Mitchell said.

"Trent and I will share something unique for the rest of our lives.

"But it's a happy day for us ... you're bringing joy to all the people closest to you, in a way, that you would very rarely get to do."

The presentation also marks another sign of closure to the long-running Essendon supplements debacle.

Watson was among 34 current and past Essendon players banned because of the club's disastrous 2012 supplements regime.

Asked about Watson, Mitchell replied simply: "I'm going to leave that".

Cotchin referred to the tumultuous circumstances when asked if the ceremony felt somewhat surreal.

"Obviously there's a lot of emotion involved with that as well," he said.

"You feel for people and it's been going on for so long, but hopefully we can all take a step forward now."

Cotchin confirmed he had contacted Watson in the wake of being awarded the retrospective medal.

"I thought that was the right thing to do," he said.

Cotchin's wife Brooke and their children Harper and Mackenzie were in the front row for the ceremony.

Likewise Mitchell's wife Lyndall, their son Mitchell and their twin daughters Scarlett and Emmerson flew over from Perth.

Mitchell is now at West Coast after a stunning trade at the end of this season.

His ex-Hawthorn teammates were unable to attend because they are at a Queensland training camp.

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick was at the ceremony.

While the circumstances were unprecedented, Mitchell said he enjoyed the ceremony.

"It's a beautiful way to do it - I mean winning it in front of 1400 people, live on TV is one thing, you wouldn't knock that back," he said.

"But having it like this, I certainly appreciate it for what it is."

Mitchell added that while several of his old Hawks teammates had contacted him on Tuesday morning, Clarkson had not.

"I know he's not too big on the individual awards," he said, while stressing he and Clarkson had parted on good terms.

Cotchin noted that while they now have a Brownlow each, Mitchell has won premierships and he has not.

"As I mentioned on stage, I'm envious of the bloke I won it with, because he's managed to string together four premierships," Cotchin said.

- with AAP