New Tiger Lynch not a lock for Round 1Gilbert Gardiner,
Herald Sun
19 Jan 2019Jack Riewoldt is bullish about Tom Lynch slotting seamlessly into Richmond’s attack despite admitting the transition could be “clunky” at first.
Lynch resumed running “at high pace” recently but the Tigers will not take any risks with the ex-Gold Coast captain, even if it means he sits out the start of the season.
The spearhead moved freely on Saturday, running laps at Punt Road as the Tigers completed drills and circle work.
Riewoldt has had “brief” talks with Lynch about the forward setup but until they have a “crack” under match intensity its success is “unknown”.
“It may be a little bit clunky early on but after that I feel like that we can work on it, we’re both pretty unselfish players in the way that we want to play for the team.”
The Tigers have had great success the past two seasons with Riewoldt the primary target inside 50 and a fleet of small and medium forwards — including Daniel Rioli, Josh Caddy, Shane Edwards, Jack Higgins, Jason Castagna and Dan Butler — applying intense pressure at ground level.
But Riewoldt is keen for the Tigers to explore new things.
“You can’t go into a season saying this is the way we’re going to play or this is what we’re going to try and replicate because we need to grow,” Riewoldt said.
“We really don’t know what the forward line will look like come Round 1, all we know is that we want to have as many guys playing good footy when that time arises to pick the team.”
A posterior cruciate ligament injury — which required surgery — kept Lynch to just 10 games for the Suns last year.
The Tigers are taking a cautious approach with their star recruit. Picture: Michael Klein
Lynch opened his account at Punt Road last November, reporting for duty alongside the club’s first-to-fourth-year players.
“I had a quick conversation with him the other day about how he’s feeling mentally and he’s really tracking along nicely,” Riewoldt.
“I know our physios are really happy with how he looks. There’ll be no rush with him.
“He’s obviously a big investment for us and we’re rapt to get him along, so we certainly won’t be rolling him out in round one if he’s not right. He’ll come in at the right time.”
Lynch booted 254 goals across eight unfulfilled seasons on the Glitter Strip.
Jason Castagna (high ankle sprain) was in a moon boot on Saturday, while Jack Grimes channelled Zorro — or LeBron James — with a black face mask to protect a broken nose.
https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/richmond/richmond-to-take-cautious-approach-with-tom-lynchs-return-from-knee-surgery/news-story/2010ca7b66033ebf1161ca91bc3d8a64
