Richmond captain Trent Cotchin is keeping the anticipation and excitement surrounding the Tigers’ season-opener against Carlton at the MCG on Thursday night (April 2) in total perspective . . .

“I suppose coming up against any of the big clubs in Melbourne is always a great crowd, and Round one’s important, but it’s no more important than any other game in the year.  It’s four points to the premiership table,” Cotchin said on afl.com.au’s ‘First Bounce’.

“The reality is, it’s the first game of the year, though, and you want to win and start on a positive note . . . 

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“I think it’s such a build-up, the pre-season, and everyone’s excited about the first game. 

“The Club have done a lot of work with regards to functions, membership.  So there’s a lot riding on it, but the reality is that we need to go out there and perform exactly what we try to do every game.”

Cotchin declared the Tigers’ stirring resurgence during the second half of last season inconsequential, with regards to their plans for 2015.

Find out all you need to know about the build-up to Thursday night’s season opener

“You want to carry the momentum of the back-end of last year, but the reality is, this year’s a new year,” he said. 

“Every team’s striving to be performing at their best every week, and I think that’s the great thing about our competition.  It’s in a really great spot. 

“You have to be on to win the game of footy, and that’s just what we’re trying to achieve at the moment. 

“Standards have been raised, intensity’s been really high throughout the whole pre-season, and we’re just looking forward to our first crack this Thursday night.”