Football > Richmond Rant
Jacob Townsend [merged]
one-eyed:
The flag Tiger whose future hinges on Lynch
Matt Thompson
afl.com.au
Jul 11, 2018
RICHMOND's September revelation Jacob Townsend is one of many players across the AFL whose future hinges on Gold Coast co-captain Tom Lynch.
With the Tigers' interest in free agent Lynch well known, fringe players like Townsend will have to wait to learn just how much is left in the pot.
"For a lot of those players, and I would imagine Jacob included, yeah it is more a conversation at the end of the year," Townsend's manager Scott Lucas told Macquarie Sports Radio on Wednesday morning.
"Let's not be silly, the phrase at the moment for a lot of clubs, (is) we don't know if we've got a million dollars or no dollars.
"And Richmond I would say it's fair to suggest would have a strong interest in Tom Lynch, so what they do, and how they manage their books is attached to the decision that Tom will make - as it is for Gold Coast and other clubs that are interested."
Townsend garnered a quick cult-following his standout performance in Richmond's finals campaign last year.
The former Giant played his first game of the 2017 season in round 22 and kept his spot in the side all the way through to the Grand Final where he kicked two of his total 16 goals.
Despite having played for the senior side in eight of the first nine games this year, the 25-year-old finds himself stranded in the VFL with spots in the ladder-leading Tigers' 22 hard to come by.
"He is out of contract, he's spent some time in the VFL this year, working on his form," Lucas said.
"I think when he's back in form he'll be back in the team, and they want him in the team, it's just a matter finding his very best form again."
Lucas remains optimistic a deal for Lynch won't push Townsend out of Punt Road altogether and expects there will be a new contract on the table for his client at the end of the year.
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-07-11/the-flag-tiger-whose-future-hinges-on-lynch
The Machine:
Hearing he will be staying at Tigerland.
georgies31:
He is not best 22 if we want to improve and go forward has to be replaced only good as depth.
one-eyed:
'I'm not sure what's going on': Flag Tiger in limbo
Jennifer Phelan
afl.com.au
Sep 29, 2018
OUT-OF-CONTRACT Richmond forward Jacob Townsend accepts he'll likely have to wait until the end of the Trade Period to know if his future is at Punt Road.
But the 2017 premiership player is optimistic he'll stay a Tiger and has no desire to leave the club despite an up and down season.
"We're talking about it now and I'm not too sure what's going on," Townsend told AFL.com.au.
"There could be a fair few changes with players that come and go, like any other team [has], and I think I'll just have to wait and see who comes before anything is done.
"Being the type of player I am and with my experience, I think it will be at the back end of trade period so I'll have to wait and see."
Townsend, 25, was dropped to the VFL three times this season before he broke his lower left leg in the final VFL game of the year.
The former Giant only played 10 AFL games in 2018 after his remarkable run last season where he broke into the side in round 22 and held his spot to win a premiership medal.
But, while he remains realistic about the business side of the competition and is open to his manager talking to rival clubs about new opportunities, his preference is to remain a Tiger if he can.
"I love Richmond so if there was a deal here I'd probably take it, I love all the boys and it's been pretty well documented how tight we are as a bunch," he said.
"At the end of the day, you have to look after yourself but players are on AFL lists to play AFL footy and boys I'm pretty close mates with might have to change clubs for more opportunities.
"That's just the industry."
Townsend had surgery two days after breaking his lower leg in the first minute of the Tigers' win over Frankston on August 25 when he was tackled by former teammate Jake Batchelor.
"As soon as I did it, I knew it wasn't great," he said.
"My foot got stuck and my leg went the other way, and when I came off my leg was a bit bowed and the doctors weren't sure what was going on but they knew it wasn't good.
"It was the last game, which was a bit of a shame because I didn't know if I was going to come back into the AFL side or not."
He had a plate put over his fibula and his syndesmosis joint wired together, which means he may require another operation down the track if that causes irritation.
In the latest step in his rehabilitation, he shed his moon boot last week and will now focus on strengthening his calf muscle again.
Despite its dramatic nature, Townsend remains confident his injury wasn't as bad as the one that robbed Dan Rioli of half of his season this year.
He also believes he'll be available for round one 2019 - wherever he may be playing - with plans to spend most of his off-season working on the leg.
"The surgeon said I shouldn't miss footy at all, that's the plan anyway," he said.
"From start to finish, it should be about four months and it's been four weeks now, so still a bit to go.
"I'll be in the club a fair bit over the off-season to try and get it right.
"I'll probably miss a few weeks [at the start] of pre-season although we come back on December 5 so I probably won't train before the [Christmas] break again.
"Then I'll be back in full training post that."
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-09-28/im-not-sure-whats-going-on-flag-tiger-in-limbo
cub:
Jacobs pressure is next to none, has opposition looking over their shoulders....Something definately missing in the Prelim
Gotta give him another year at least IMO
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