How Tom Lynch will add and enhance Richmond’s forward set-upHerald-Sun
2 Oct 2018WE have admired Richmond’s forward line efficiency for two years.
Speedy ground level threats, bone-crushing tackle power, and spearhead Jack Riewoldt playing the most selfless football of his life.
Then there’s a couple of blokes named Dustin Martin and Josh Caddy, who have looked unstoppable in games muscling their opponents out in marking contests and bombing long goals on the turn.
So, can you have too much of a good thing?
Surely not when it comes to 25-year-old Gold Coast spearhead Tom Lynch.
As the Herald Sun reported, the 199cm ace forward will join Richmond when the week-long free agency period opens on Friday.
You can understand why people might wonder whether this golden free agency acquisition has the potential to disrupt the magnificence of the Richmond forward line.
They already took the second most marks inside 50m last season, according to Champion Data. Their retention rate going inside 50m was a very healthy 50 per cent.
But this is a strategic, long-term play for the Tigers who are thinking about having the contested marking beast leading out of the goal square for the next six years.
Importantly, Riewoldt can help mentor Lynch for the next couple and help teach him the nuance of the forward craft.
It is clear Lynch probably hasn’t had that person, or that on-field teacher at Gold Coast where he has given his all for eight years, but been severely impacted by injury over the last two.
And if the good judges like Dermott Brereton and Jonathan Brown are right, he could very quickly become the No.1 big forward in the game if he can get his body right.
Dermie’ and ‘Brownie’ would know.
Imagine Martin or captain Trent Cotchin bursting out of the centre square next season, looking up and seeing Lynch and Riewoldt lead out in different parts of the forward 50m and the threat that poses to opposition defences.
Certainly, they are going to be hard to double team.
Lynch has played in front of miniature crowds his whole AFL career, but the lure of 90,000–plus at the MCG is a significant carrot in football’s arms race.
Clearly, Richmond would have liked to have had Lynch this season, and especially in the preliminary final when they were belted by Collingwood.
Even just charging up the wing providing an upfield marking target, with Riewoldt deeper.
But as much as Lynch would have loved to have been a part of it this year, too, he made the big decision at the end of last year to give 2018 his all for the Suns.
They have been a huge disappointment, Gold Coast, and for football’s sake hopefully the Suns can turn it around, but Lynch was well within his rights to move on.
Now, there may be some adjustment time at Punt Rd, and he has to make a full recovery from his posterior cruciate ligament injury for this to work.
But the Blairgowrie product clearly makes the yellow and black a better team.
He is a bloke who will split packs, rather than flat-out jump on top of them like Riewoldt does at times.
And at his feet, the eyes of Daniel Rioli, Jason Castagna, Daniel Butler and Shai Bolton will light up.
Membership numbers have been going through the roof at Tigerland.
Lynch adds to the Tiger spectacular and no one will be more happy than Damien Hardwick.
https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/richmond/how-tom-lynch-will-add-and-enhance-richmonds-forward-setup/news-story/66dd63903a8bd7d003e5f6bcc7483875
