Moree pivot Brenton Cochrane leads Group 4 Best & Fairest Award
MOREE’S Brenton Cochrane leads the Wests Entertainment Group Tooheys Group 4 Best & Fairest Award after three rounds, reports Geoff Newling from Group 4 Media.
The brilliant pivot has six points in the prestigious player award, one point ahead of Werris Creek pair Thomas Browne and Riley Leonard and Kootingal’s Chris Vidler.
Brenton, 39, had retired after his side was eliminated from last year’s premiership race by North Tamworth in a preliminary final at Jack Woolaston Oval. The Bears went on to beat Dungowan in the Grand Final.
Retirement didn’t rest easy with Brenton and he elected to rescind that idea and return for another season under Michael Watton’s reign.
It’s been a great decision for both Brenton and Moree Boars.
Unbeaten in three games the Boars (190-46) sit atop the Group 4 first grade table on for and against from Werris Creek (127-38).
They play Werris Creek at home (on Boughton Oval) this Saturday night.
It promises to be an outstanding game as the unbeaten Magpies also have a great for and against as well, the Boars possessing a +144 differential to the Magpies’ +89.
Brenton is looking forward to it as well on a personal basis as two of his nearest challengers in the B&F, Thomas Browne and Riley Leonard, are just that point behind.
“Everything seems to be going all right,” Brenton told Group 4 Media today.
“As they say if nothing ain’t broke don’t fix it. It all seems to be going all right for us. We’re taking every game s it comes, not getting ahead of ourselves.”
He’s excited by the form of all the Boars especially the likes of new centre William Baker and young fullback Adrian Smith.
“He’s the full package,” Brenton said of Baker, who heads the G4 first grade tryscoring with eight touchdowns so far.
“He’s an all-round player. He came to us as a fullback and started on the wing and now in the centres. He’s done a great job, a quality player.”
Then there is young fullback Adrian Smith.
“He’s come into his own, a confidence player,” he said of the number one who leads the G4 point scoring by a long way after just three rounds.
Smith has scored five tries and kicked 25 goals in his 70-point haul so far. He’s 36 points in front of his nearest rival, North Tamworth halfback Mitch Sheridan (34pts).
“He’s building on what he did last year,” he said of the brilliant young fullback.
But wait. There is another youngster building his career too.
Brenton’s son, Isaiah Cochrane.
Only Isaiah plays for Narrabri in the Under 18’s.
“He goes good,” Brenton said of the teenager.
“He’s slowly coming through from what I’ve seen. He’s showing potential.”
He has his father’s versatility too.
“He’s playing half, five-eighth, lock, a bit of everything,” Brenton said.
WESTS ENTERTAINMENT GROUP TOOHEYS GROUP 4 BEST & FAIREST AWARD
FIRST GRADE
6: Brenton Cochrane (Moree).
5: Thomas Browne, Riley Leonard (Werris Creek), Chris Vidler (Kootingal).
4: Jack Cameron (Dungowan), Jamie Sampson (Mor).
3: Mitch Doring (D), Matt Gillham, Nic Millar (B), Harlee Millgate (WC), Dylan O’Brien (G), Kurt Hartmann (K), Dalton Desmond-Walker, Mitch Sheridan (North Tamworth).
2: Jack Cameron, Brandon Parry, Matt Wilson (D), Scott Blanch (NT), William Baker, Adrian Smith (M), Dylan Lake (Gunnedah), Jeff Harvey (Narrabri).
1: Lincon Smith (G), Jess O’Neill (N), Nash Porter (WC), Anders Glew (K).
