GREATER Western Sydney star Dylan Shiel is "really happy" Richmond captain Trent Cotchin was free to play in last year's Grand Final.

Cotchin was involved in a controversial incident in the Tigers' preliminary final win over the Giants, when the skipper's first-quarter bump left Shiel – who had racked up seven possessions in the opening term – concussed and ruled out of the match at quarter-time.

The Tigers went on to win the game by 36 points to book a date with Adelaide in the decider.

If the Match Review Panel had charged Cotchin with any offense, he would have been suspended because of his bad record, but he was cleared of any wrongdoing and went on to lead Richmond to a famous flag.

Shiel told AFL.com.au the way his season finished was extremely disappointing, but he has no problem with Cotchin or the MRP's decision to not issue a ban.

"To go down early and have to watch my teammates go on and suffer the way they did, it was definitely hard," he said.

"But that’s footy and I don't hold anything against Trent for what happened.

"It probably warranted a free kick but that's it and doesn't matter now, it's done and dusted.

"People have asked me if I wanted to see him suspended and I tell them absolutely not.

"I'm actually really happy that he got to play on; he messaged me the next week to see if I was OK and I really respected that.

"We play a ruthless game and I think every player accepts that when they cross that white line anything can happen.

"I love the game we play and I don't want to see it changed from the exciting game our fans love to watch."

Dylan Shiel went down to the rooms after the first quarter and looks unlikely to return. #AFLFinals pic.twitter.com/9nM2p6zXn2 — AFL (@AFL) September 23, 2017

Shiel's view on the hit that took one of the Giants' biggest stars out of the game was at odds with that of his former assistant coach and father of his partner Georgie, Mark Williams, who made his position on the non-suspension well known.

Speaking on SEN radio after the MRP's ruling was announced two days after the match, Williams didn't hold back.

"He (Shiel) feels cheated. I’ve talked to him," he said at the time.

"Did he get concussed? Yes he did. Did he get concussed in the first collision with Cotchin? Yes he did. He could not see properly after that. There was an opportunity where he went for a mark but completely missed it

"He got hit in the head from Cotchin and he didn’t get a free kick. He got hit in the head again by David Astbury, didn’t get a free kick. What is going on?

"I feel for him, he has been completely cheated by the system."

Shiel had no issue with Williams' passionate response, and said his comments had no effect on him whatsoever.

"It's his job to be an outspoken figure in the AFL scene and he's entitled to say what he wants," he said.

"All I know is that Mark has my best interests at heart and he's been a fantastic mentor and father-figure for me.

"He supports me and has my back and support him 100 per cent in what he does."

The GWS gun also hurt his shoulder in the collision with Cotchin, aggravating an issue he'd carried for most of the year and had surgery to fix when the season ended.

Shiel has been on a restricted training program that has included no contact, but took time out of his off-season break to make sure he came back to the Giants in the best possible shape.

The 24-year-old spent 10 days in Los Angeles working with sports performance company Team EXOS, training alongside Wallaby Quade Cooper and a host of American football players.

"From sitting down with some mentors of mine over the past 12 months, the key points to come out of those conversations was for me to keep looking at other codes and athletes across the world," Shiel said.

"The goal is to take some things from their game and apply it to my own.

"The guys over there primarily work with NFL athletes so it's a lot of speed, change of direction, power and strength training.

"I think no matter what stage of your career you are at, you need to keep looking to improve and evolve, and I think the off-season is the perfect time to do that with some different types of training."

Dylan Shiel and Quade Cooper giving the thumbs up. Picture: GWS Giants

