The weekends news in two minutes…

Cotch ties the knot

Richmond FC captain Trent Cotchin tied the knot with long-term girlfriend Brooke Kennedy in a ceremony attended by more than 200 guests at a private residence in Flinders. Carlton Ruckman Matthew Kreuzer was a groomsman and Channel 7 presenter Hamish McLachlan was the MC.

Harry n-O more 

The Collingwood defender has reverted back to his birth name Heritier Lumumba.  He adopted his stepfathers name – O’Brien – at age nine.  Heritier will also be used rather than the shortened version Harry.  The name change is important to him and his culture as the Democratic Republic of Congo, give the firstborn son a name with meaning. Heritier meant the “inheritor or the heir” and Lumumba was a “very famous” surname in Africa.

Many players have changed their names throughout their careers causing some confusion among fans and commentators…

Beau Wilkes became Beau Maister

Brian Harris became Brian Lake

Gary Hocking became Whiskas

Jarred Rooke became Max Rooke

James Bartel became Jimmy Bartel

Andy Lukimitis to Andy Lukas

Forever 23

Buddy Franklin will remain in the number 23 jumper at the Sydney Swans.  Jordan Lockyer previously occupied the number 23, He will now wear the number 18, vacated by Jesse White.

Pies in the money

Fourteen AFL clubs rank inside the top 20 of Australia’s most valuable sports brands, Collingwood leads the league at No. 2.  Collingwood have a brand value of $39.1 million in a table devised by Brand Finance and Landor Associates.

West Coast were the second highest AFL team with a brand value of $32.6 million, Hawthorn came in fifth at $27.1 million.

Geelong (sixth – $26.8 million), Carlton (seventh – $25.3 million), Fremantle (eighth – $24.3 million), Essendon (ninth – $24 million) and the Sydney Swans (10th – $22.7) round out the top 10.

Blue snow 

Carlton has shared some snaps of their altitude training camp in Arizona this week on Twitter.  The team was completing an early morning fitness and skills session in the snowfields of Flagstaff.

Captain Marc Murphy discussed the unusual training session.  “It was the first time I’ve trained in ski gloves and ski goggles, so it was a bit of fun, a good experience, but there was plenty of hard work as well,” Murphy said.