Briedis1975
Rookie
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2002
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- Location
- Manly-Warringah
- Other Teams
- North Melbourne, Manly Sea Eagles
Cochrane sensational: Pagan
Alan Shiell
afl.com.au
11:31:36 AM Sun 31 March, 2002
Stuart Cochrane had only seven possessions – four kicks and three handpasses – against Port Adelaide at Football Park last night, but his unselfish, disciplined display drew unqualified praise from Kangaroos coach Denis Pagan.
“Stuart kept Nick Stevens to seven possessions (four kicks, three handpasses). It was a sensational effort and we can’t acknowledge his performance and contribution highly enough,” Pagan said.
Stevens had won the Michael Tuck Medal as best afield in the Port-Richmond Wizard Home Loans Cup grand final at Colonial Stadium two weeks earlier and Cochrane’s successful tagging job on the classy Port midfielder typified the way the Roos were able to restrict many of the Power’s key players and earn a 10-point win – one of the most memorable in the club’s history, given the off-field drama that had preceded it.
Cochrane, 23, who played his junior football with SANFL club Central District, was playing only his 34th premiership season match for the Roos, and the victory and his important part in it were made all the more satisfying because of the presence of his South Australian family and friends.
“We were always going to give it everything in this opening round, especially being Glenn Archer’s 200th game and with Stevo (Anthony Stevens) as captain for the first time,” Cochrane said.
“It was just a focus for the week with Glenn being such a champion of the club. We really wanted to put in a special one for him.
“Look at the last quarter. The players were diving on the ball and every bloke on the field was so desperate to make sure the ball wasn’t going to slip out to an opposition player.”
Of his role on Nick Stevens, Cochrane said: “I just tried to cut him out of the game as much as I could. There were a couple of other players who are their ball winners, so we thought if we could try to negate them a bit, we’d have a better chance of cutting down their score.
“Nick’s a quality player. I thought I’d have my work cut out. He ran around a bit, but I just happened to get in the right spot at times.”
The Roos received some congratulatory words from Pagan in their change room on Saturday night before walking to the other side of Football Park for a brief recovery session in the Adelaide Football Club’s indoor pool.
“Everyone was really pumped about the way we played,” Cochrane said. “We all fed off each other after the game and got encouragement and congratulations from everyone.”
Cochrane, who has added 10kg to the slim 77kg frame he took to Melbourne in 1996, blossomed as a Roo regular last season when he played 21 matches, mostly as a tagger and occasionally at half-back or on a wing.
He admitted to having a preference for the wing, but added quickly: “I’ll just fit in wherever I can. I’m just happy to play for the club.
“Not making the finals last year (for the first time since 1992) was a disappointment, but it gave us the chance to build up our fitness base. This game (against Port) showed we’ve got a lot of run in our legs and we’re ready for the season.”
Cochrane’s father, Richard, and uncle, Bill, were fine, long-serving players for Central District, as was an uncle by marriage, Peter Jonas, a former All-Australian who, because of a succession of injuries, was restricted to 82 games for the Kangaroos in the 1980s.
“I used to sit at home and watch the VFL and see how Uncle Peter was playing, but I never had any aspirations to play AFL,” Cochrane said. “I just wanted to play with Central District, but the chance came up (with the Roos) so I took it.”
The Kangaroos also had reason to be pleased last night with three players in their first premiership-season appearances for the club – ruckman Mark Porter (Carlton), midfielder Ben Robbins (Brisbane Lions) and defender John Baird (Box Hill).
Pagan said of them: “I thought Porter rucked really well and gave great competition to Matthew Primus and (Barnaby) French - and (Brendon) Lade when he was on the ball.
“I think Robbins played a very good part on Josh Francou until halfway through the third quarter when he perhaps just went a little bit ball magnet in his play.
“John Baird will learn a hell of a lot from tonight, understanding that if you’re going to play in defence you’ve got to be first to move.
“All three were positive, as I thought was Leigh Harding (from Geelong in the VFL), who had a couple of cameos last year coming off the bench. It was the first time he’d played that amount of football in a senior game.
“With his electrifying pace, we think he’ll be a plus as he gets a few (games) under his belt.
“And Corey Jones (from SANFL club Sturt) is very hard at it. He’s a guy we hope goes forward. He’s very tough, he’s very courageous.
“He played a dozen games last year and this was his 13th. He’s certainly a guy we want in the team each week.”
Alan Shiell
afl.com.au
11:31:36 AM Sun 31 March, 2002
Stuart Cochrane had only seven possessions – four kicks and three handpasses – against Port Adelaide at Football Park last night, but his unselfish, disciplined display drew unqualified praise from Kangaroos coach Denis Pagan.
“Stuart kept Nick Stevens to seven possessions (four kicks, three handpasses). It was a sensational effort and we can’t acknowledge his performance and contribution highly enough,” Pagan said.
Stevens had won the Michael Tuck Medal as best afield in the Port-Richmond Wizard Home Loans Cup grand final at Colonial Stadium two weeks earlier and Cochrane’s successful tagging job on the classy Port midfielder typified the way the Roos were able to restrict many of the Power’s key players and earn a 10-point win – one of the most memorable in the club’s history, given the off-field drama that had preceded it.
Cochrane, 23, who played his junior football with SANFL club Central District, was playing only his 34th premiership season match for the Roos, and the victory and his important part in it were made all the more satisfying because of the presence of his South Australian family and friends.
“We were always going to give it everything in this opening round, especially being Glenn Archer’s 200th game and with Stevo (Anthony Stevens) as captain for the first time,” Cochrane said.
“It was just a focus for the week with Glenn being such a champion of the club. We really wanted to put in a special one for him.
“Look at the last quarter. The players were diving on the ball and every bloke on the field was so desperate to make sure the ball wasn’t going to slip out to an opposition player.”
Of his role on Nick Stevens, Cochrane said: “I just tried to cut him out of the game as much as I could. There were a couple of other players who are their ball winners, so we thought if we could try to negate them a bit, we’d have a better chance of cutting down their score.
“Nick’s a quality player. I thought I’d have my work cut out. He ran around a bit, but I just happened to get in the right spot at times.”
The Roos received some congratulatory words from Pagan in their change room on Saturday night before walking to the other side of Football Park for a brief recovery session in the Adelaide Football Club’s indoor pool.
“Everyone was really pumped about the way we played,” Cochrane said. “We all fed off each other after the game and got encouragement and congratulations from everyone.”
Cochrane, who has added 10kg to the slim 77kg frame he took to Melbourne in 1996, blossomed as a Roo regular last season when he played 21 matches, mostly as a tagger and occasionally at half-back or on a wing.
He admitted to having a preference for the wing, but added quickly: “I’ll just fit in wherever I can. I’m just happy to play for the club.
“Not making the finals last year (for the first time since 1992) was a disappointment, but it gave us the chance to build up our fitness base. This game (against Port) showed we’ve got a lot of run in our legs and we’re ready for the season.”
Cochrane’s father, Richard, and uncle, Bill, were fine, long-serving players for Central District, as was an uncle by marriage, Peter Jonas, a former All-Australian who, because of a succession of injuries, was restricted to 82 games for the Kangaroos in the 1980s.
“I used to sit at home and watch the VFL and see how Uncle Peter was playing, but I never had any aspirations to play AFL,” Cochrane said. “I just wanted to play with Central District, but the chance came up (with the Roos) so I took it.”
The Kangaroos also had reason to be pleased last night with three players in their first premiership-season appearances for the club – ruckman Mark Porter (Carlton), midfielder Ben Robbins (Brisbane Lions) and defender John Baird (Box Hill).
Pagan said of them: “I thought Porter rucked really well and gave great competition to Matthew Primus and (Barnaby) French - and (Brendon) Lade when he was on the ball.
“I think Robbins played a very good part on Josh Francou until halfway through the third quarter when he perhaps just went a little bit ball magnet in his play.
“John Baird will learn a hell of a lot from tonight, understanding that if you’re going to play in defence you’ve got to be first to move.
“All three were positive, as I thought was Leigh Harding (from Geelong in the VFL), who had a couple of cameos last year coming off the bench. It was the first time he’d played that amount of football in a senior game.
“With his electrifying pace, we think he’ll be a plus as he gets a few (games) under his belt.
“And Corey Jones (from SANFL club Sturt) is very hard at it. He’s a guy we hope goes forward. He’s very tough, he’s very courageous.
“He played a dozen games last year and this was his 13th. He’s certainly a guy we want in the team each week.”
the newbie, Shemp?) he might be able to look forward to a more serious role and leave his past in comedy behind. 
