Tom Lynch [merged]

[one-eyed]

RICHMOND legend Kevin Bartlett believes Tom Lynch won’t be at the Gold Coast Suns in 2019, predicting the superstar forward could become the AFL’s first “$2 million man”.

Lynch, 25, looms as arguably the biggest and most valuable AFL free agent come season’s end, with his current Suns contract to expire in October.

The longer he remains out of contract, the more likely it’s expected several big Victorian clubs, reportedly Collingwood, Hawthorn and Richmond, will pursue Lynch throughout 2018 in an attempt to lure him back to his home state.

Bartlett on Wednesday said he expected Melbourne-based clubs to chase Lynch hard with deals of unprecedented levels.

“I’ve got a gut feeling that Tom Lynch will come back to Melbourne come the end of 2018. I think he’ll get that many big offers that will be too good to refuse,” Bartlett told SEN.

“It’ll be a bit like (Gary) Ablett going to the Gold Coast Suns, it’ll be a bit like Buddy Franklin going up to Sydney.

“They are going to splash so much money at him. He might be the first $1.5 million man, maybe he could be the first $2 million man.

“I don’t think he’ll be (at the Suns) at the end of 2018.

Last October, list guru Chris Pelchen told the Fox Footy Podcast that Collingwood would be “a very, very keen pursuer” of Lynch, who has booted 234 goals across his 121-game career.

The Suns co-captain was grilled about his committed to Gold Coast long-term on Fox Footy’s AFL 360 last year, but avoided answering questions directly.

Lynch’s 2017 campaign was hampered by injury, but had previously developed a reputation as the game’s next best key forward, thanks to his ability to hit the scoreboard and clunk contested marks.

Five-time premiership Hawk Dermott Brereton last year said Lynch was “the best player in the comp” and would be his “No. 1 target” if he was building a new AFL club list from scratch.

Despite an underwhelming 2017 season, Brereton said Lynch was still a star of the league.

“If he stays injury free, you’ll look at him and you’ll say, ‘imagine him in one of the top teams,” he told SEN.

“I still do think he’s extraordinary above his head. He’s an enormous endurance athlete. He doesn’t have the sidestep like Buddy … but his running capabilities, his competitiveness — he’s got a massive heart — and his ability to mark the ball at the highest point is just about league’s best, I reckon.

“The whole package there is pretty special.”

New Gold Coast coach Stuart Dew refused to address the speculation around Lynch’s future on Wednesday, saying his co-captain was “really invested in the footy club and the success of the footy club”.

“My job, really, is to create an environment where he wants to be part of it,” Dew told SEN.

“I’m not going to be able to speculate on timelines, that’s not for me to say — but I guess I’m going to be answering it the same and everyone’s probably going to be sick of hearing it as much as I’ll be sick of getting asked.

“As soon as there’s any news, obviously everyone’s going to know. But until then, I think we will be giving the same answer because that’s the fact.”

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/gold-coast/tom-lynch-could-leave-gold-coast-and-become-afls-first-2-million-man-says-kevin-bartlett/news-story/0b713725eb104ecc195bb20e7753bb53

[Slipper]

I am not convinced that Lynch is worth half that money to us. Sure he looks a very good player, but we have a lot pf players to pay.

I reckon KB is trying to talk his price up in the hope Collingwood gash themselves on his contract.

[Dougeytherichmondfan]

I am not convinced that Lynch is worth half that money to us. Sure he looks a very good player, but we have a lot pf players to pay.

I reckon KB is trying to talk his price up in the hope Collingwood gash themselves on his contract.

I reckon KB is talking up his price because its a catchy headline and that's his job.

[Slipper]

I am not convinced that Lynch is worth half that money to us. Sure he looks a very good player, but we have a lot pf players to pay.

I reckon KB is trying to talk his price up in the hope Collingwood gash themselves on his contract.

I reckon KB is talking up his price because its a catchy headline and that's his job.

Yeah, but believing he is doing it to hurt Collingwood fulfils my more sinister desires.

[Dougeytherichmondfan]

I am not convinced that Lynch is worth half that money to us. Sure he looks a very good player, but we have a lot pf players to pay.

I reckon KB is trying to talk his price up in the hope Collingwood gash themselves on his contract.

I reckon KB is talking up his price because its a catchy headline and that's his job.

Yeah, but believing he is doing it to hurt Collingwood fulfils my more sinister desires.

[one-eyed]

Free agent Tom Lynch already in $1 million range

Jake Niall
The Age
Feb 1, 2018

Financial terms are expected to have little influence on the massive decision facing Gold Coast superstar and free agent Tom Lynch, who is already being paid close to a million dollars in 2018.

Lynch is assured of being one of the highest-paid players in the game and a deal comfortably exceeding his current deal after this year, regardless of whether he returns home to a Victorian club in 2019 or remains with the Suns under new coach Stuart Dew and a revamped football department.

Given that the Suns are already paying Lynch close to a million dollars this year, well-placed sources say the struggling club will be in a good position to increase their offer well beyond the $1 million mark and even to match whatever offers come to their co-captain as a restricted free agent from rival clubs.

There is also the possibility of the AFL paying Lynch to be an ambassador in Queensland – a marketing arrangement similar to Gary Ablett's former arrangement.

But, despite AFL boss Gillon McLachlan having admitted this kind of third-party AFL deal was a chance, it is unclear whether the AFL would be prepared to be as generous with Lynch as it was with other "developing state" ambassadors, including Ablett and the ill-fated Karmichael Hunt.

Lynch has not met other clubs and his management has not yet fielded any offers from any parties – including the Suns.
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Rather than dollars, the key driver of the Lynch decision is expected to be whether the Suns can show sufficient improvement and competitiveness to persuade the powerhouse key forward to stay.

Richmond and Hawthorn head the clubs with a keen interest in Lynch, with Collingwood also expected to bid for the key forward, who is clearly the most prized of the free agents in 2018 and whose decision shapes as the most significant in the competition.

But none of the clubs – and especially the Tigers, who have a tight salary cap following the re-signing of Dustin Martin – are expected to offer Lynch a deal that the Suns couldn't match.

The Suns and the Lynch camp are already mindful that the Suns do not play at their home ground Metricon Stadium until round 11 and could therefore struggle for wins early onand that Lynch may not be able to make his call early in the season as a result.

One close observer, who knows Lynch, said that the player was  "looking for reasons to stay, rather than reasons to go".

Gold Coast's likely ladder position is another factor in the Lynch situation, since, under the rules, the Suns would receive a first-round pick immediately after their choice and that, for example, if they finished last, they would receive pick No.2 for him in free-agency compensation – a strong starting position in any negotiation should he choose to leave.

There has already been much speculation among rival clubs that Lynch would fetch more than $1.5million – clearly making him the highest-paid player in the competition – if he desired.

Gold Coast chief executive Mark Evans could not be reached for comment on the Lynch situation.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/free-agent-tom-lynch-already-in-1-million-range-20180131-h0ria5.html

[Diocletian]

 

[lamington]

 

[MintOnLamb]

Pass

[Andyy]

Not for $1.5 million haha

[YellowandBlackBlood]

Not for $1.5 million haha

If it means we snag another flag, who cares about the money?

[MintOnLamb]

1.5 mill?? Will destroy club integrity. No way Jose

[Slipper]

I can't see the AFL letting this happen.

Too much invested in the GC team to let it fall away on key players leaving.

Not sure how they will do it, as I don't think Lynch is that interested in the money, but I reckon he stays.

[Tiger Tragic]

He's a RFA. All GC need to do is match any offer and he has to stay. AFL will facilitate that by bending any rule needed including salary cap, not that GC should be that close to the salary cap

[mightytiges]

I can't see the AFL letting this happen.

Too much invested in the GC team to let it fall away on key players leaving.

Not sure how they will do it, as I don't think Lynch is that interested in the money, but I reckon he stays.

Yep. The AFL aren't pumping an extra $25m into the Suns to then let their best players walk out.

http://www.afr.com/business/sport/the-afl-propped-up-gold-coast-suns-with-25m-after-sponsorship-woes-20180201-h0s15t

ps. Quite ironic that we ended up winning the flag from where we were ("worse than Fitzroy") before the expansion clubs when we had to rebuild our list during the compromised drafts thanks to these expansion clubs receiving a stack of first round high end talent. We walked away with the cup on our way after flogging one in the Prelim, while the other is in turmoil on and off-field (we also poached Prestia from them).