Richmond leads Collingwood and Hawthorn in chase for Gold Coast's Tom LynchMick Stirling
SportingNews.com
Apr. 18, 2018The future home of Gold Coast co-captain Tom Lynch seems to be getting clearer with football insiders saying there are three AFL clubs that have burst ahead of the chasing pack.
Victorian powerhouses Richmond, Hawthorn and Collingwood are considered the most likely destinations for Lynch if he decides to head home, with the reigning premiers in best position.
“While Lynch could stay at the Suns, trade sources insist Richmond, Hawthorn and Collingwood are the early front-runners if he leaves — the Tigers in particular,” Tom Browne told Channel Seven News on Tuesday night.
How Richmond would fit Lynch into their salary cap seems the biggest stumbling block in getting him to Punt Road.
After re-signing Dustin Martin for around $1.25 million a year for seven years in 2017, and having a list full of young premiership players that would be starting to get hefty offers from opposition clubs, there can’t be many dollars left in the Tigers’ kitty.
Collingwood may seem to have a working-class list but big money was spent to lure Adam Treloar from the Giants, and it’s reasonable to think the rest of their midfield is also well rewarded financially.
While Hawthorn has obviously invested heavily in Jaeger O’Meara and Tom Mitchell, they have freed up a lot of salary-cap space in the past couple of years through the retirements of stars from their golden era, possibly leaving the Hawks in the best financial position of the three suitors.
So it may come down to where Lynch best thinks his chances of flag success lie, but again there’s no clear winner.
Obviously Richmond is at the top of the football tree at the moment, but an Alastair Clarkson-led Hawthorn can never be discounted, and there’s always the possibility Collingwood actually is on the right track at last.
http://www.sportingnews.com/au/afl/news/richmond-leads-collingwood-and-hawthorn-in-afl-chase-for-gold-coasts-tom-lynch/pbduh0f4ch90152gugtqaheav
