Richmond captain Trent Cotchin has ascended into rarefied air at Punt Road, becoming just the ninth Tiger to win three Jack Dyer Medals. Cotchin, who previously won the club's best and fairest in 2011 and 2012, polled 292 votes to beat fellow midfielder Brandon Ellis (283), and Dustin Martin (266).
Cotchin is well positioned to finish his career as one of the most decorated players in Richmond history, as he became the youngest man ever to clinch a hat-trick of Tigers best and fairests.
Dyer leads the all-time tally with six awards, with Kevin Bartlett (five), Roy Wright (four), Wayne Campbell (four), Bill Morris (three), Ron Branton (three), Neville Crowe (three) and Geoff Raines (three) the other three-time champions.
Cotchin averaged 26 disposals for the year, and led the club in contested possessions, clearances and centre clearances. He was particularly impressive in the second half of the season, overtaking Martin after round 17.
Martin put a tumultuous off-season behind him, to finish in the top-three for the third time in his five-year career. He averaged 25 disposals, and kicked 27 goals.
Ellis had a breakout season, in which he was named alongside Martin in the 40-man All-Australian squad. He played every game, averaging 26 disposals. Small forward/midfielder Shane Edwards and full-forward Jack Riewoldt rounded out the top five.
Defender Troy Chaplin – who moved as a free agent from Port Adelaide at the end of last season, finished sixth.
Key defender Alex Rance – the sole Tiger to force his way into the All-Australian team – finished equal seventh with Brett Deledio, partly due to both players missing significant chunks of football during the first half of the season, exaggerated by the voting system at Richmond, which allows for every player in the Tigers' 22 each week to poll votes.
Mature-age rookie Anthony Miles capped off a terrific maiden season at Richmond, winning the best first-year player award.
The 22-year-old averaged 24 disposals, playing as an inside midfielder after crossing from Greater Western Sydney. Miles has since been rewarded with a two-year contract extension.
He finished 12th in the count despite playing just 13 games for the season, including all nine of the Tigers' consecutive victories at the end of the home and away season, which culminated in a finals berth.
Forward Ben Griffiths was named as the most improved player at the club after playing 16 games and kicking 14 goals, in doing so keeping former No.8 draft pick Ty Vickery out of the side.
Richmond reached September action for the second consecutive year – the first time the club had done so since 1974-75.
But in both years the Tigers were defeated in the elimination final, comprehensively outplayed by the Power this year after being over-run by Carlton in 2012.
