Australian Football

One of the all-time greats of Queensland football, with a record to match, Jason Cotter twice won the Grogan Medal on top of nine premierships as a player and coach at Southport and creating a distinguished record as a State player, captain and coach. A tenacious rover, he played his junior football at Surfers Paradise, winning numerous under-age awards and representative honours, before joining Southport for their entry to the QAFL in 1983. He played 188 games and kicked 190 goals for the Sharks between 1983 and 1994, winning the 1990 and 1993 Grogan Medals and finishing third in 1986. 

Winner of the Southport best and fairest in 1985 and 1990, he won an equal club record six premierships as a player in 1983, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990, and 1992, also playing in losing grand finals in 1986, 1988, 1991, and 1993. Cotter played 12 games for Queensland from 1986 to 1993, including the 1988 Bi-Centennial Championships, the 1991 win over Victoria at the Gabba and the 1992 State of Origin game against NSW, and captained the Queensland State League side against Tasmania in 1993.

In the mid-90s Cotter took on coaching, overseeing Broadbeach's entry to the QAFL in 1997, and notching his 200^th AFLQ game in the process. After retiring as a player, he returned to Southport in 1998, and subsequently guided the Sharks to three consecutive flags in 1998, 1999, and 2000, seeing one of his charges, Nick Riewoldt, selected at No.1 in the 2000 AFL draft. 

Author - Murray Bird and Peter Blucher