Cotchin opens up on relationship with Martin

Richmond captain Trent Cotchin has opened up on his relationship with star teammate Dustin Martin, saying he trusts him more than anyone at the club.

Cotchin is in his fifth year leading the Tigers, who made the finals three times between 2013 and 2015 without progressing beyond the first week.

The 27-year-old was awarded the 2012 Brownlow Medal late last year and, with Richmond missing the finals in 2016, decided to undergo an overhaul of his leadership style with the help of his father, father-in-law and others.

Speaking to Hamish McLachlan on the Talking Footy podcast, Cotchin said he had improved his ability to manage people and learn more about his teammates.

"The No.1 thing I learned in my first two, three, four years as captain was just how flexible my mindset needed to be probably to create that connection, which then allows you to have an influence on people," he said.

"I think Dusty's probably the perfect example. The way I've lived my life versus the way Dusty's lived his life, and granted he's come so far.

"Our relationship probably wouldn't exist, let alone be as strong as it is now, if I didn't open myself up to what people experienced as a kid versus the influences they've had through the middle part of their life and just the way they think, act and feel about certain situations.

"That's not just Dusty, it's some of my closest mates are the ones who are so different in the way they live their life in the off-season or on weekends."

Cotchin, little more than a year older than the 2016 Jack Dyer medallist, has been captain for more than half of Martin's career to date.

The skipper says their relationship is at its strongest now, years on from Martin's "lowest point" – he was suspended by the club in 2012 after a late-night incident with then teammate Dan Connors, after which Martin lived with Cotchin and wife Brooke for more than a month.

"The way I put it into perspective for people now is that if I wanted to take Brooke out for dinner and the only option was to have one of the boys at the footy club babysit the kids, he would be probably the first person I would call on to come and look after the girls," Cotchin said.

"(Martin) just genuinely cares about people ... I think if I was to put people words in people's mouths, it would be – he'd come across arrogant because he's shy, and that he didn't give a damn because of his tattoos. But the reality is that's so far from the truth."

Martin is a free agent at the end of the season and has been heavily courted by rival clubs, with the latest discussions being interest from Essendon and North Melbourne.

Cotchin, though, believes Martin has only delayed the inevitable by putting off contract talks until the end of the campaign.

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Asked to rate out of 10 the chances of Martin lining up for Richmond in 2018, Cotchin was sure: "Ten. I'd be very disappointed if he wasn't."

"We have conversations about it. As he's said, he has a manager for a reason and he'll do his job. Whether we all agree or disagree with the way he deals with the process, that's up to them," Cotchin said.

"But he's playing outstanding footy, he has done for not just the last two or three years but probably the last five or six, or since he's been at the footy club really.

"And I'm confident that he'll just wait it out till the end of the year and sign with the Richmond Football Club."