Tom Lynch’s Frustrated Swing Signals a Career in Decline
So, let’s talk about Tom Lynch. What we saw from him in Richmond’s Round 16 clash against Adelaide wasn’t just a bad game—it felt like a boiling point, a kind of raw outburst from a player wrestling with more than just defenders. Zero kicks, zero handballs, zero marks, zero tackles—and five free kicks against. That’s not a quiet day, that’s a siren blaring. You don’t need to be an expert to know those numbers scream frustration.
Watching Lynch on Sunday, it didn’t look like a man playing footy; it looked like someone fighting shadows. His hit on Jordon Butts wasn’t just clumsy—it felt symbolic. You could feel the tension, the loss of rhythm, the simmering anger. And when he threw Butts to the turf, then followed it with a high, swinging arm, it was like watching a career desperately trying to reassert its influence in all the wrong ways. He wasn’t the force we remember—he was an echo of it, lashing out as if to remind everyone he’s still here.
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And here’s the thing: we all know Lynch off-field is genial, almost loveable—like that friendly old labrador. But on the field now, that competitive fire looks more like bitterness. That aggression used to make him dangerous in a good way. Now, it just feels outdated. His reactions, his complaints to umpires, the arm-waving—none of it reads as passion anymore. It reads as frustration with fading form, with a team that’s not what it once was, and with his own body that clearly isn’t doing what it used to.
This moment is bigger than just one strike or one game. It’s the story of a veteran struggling with his football mortality. He used to dominate contests; now he’s struggling to make an impact—and not just statistically, but emotionally, in the rhythm and energy of the game. That hit on Butts looked more like an emotional explosion than anything tactical. A player once feared is now being talked about for how often he gives the ball away, not how often he gets it.
And while the MRO will surely have its say—likely with a tribunal visit and a suspension—the bigger issue here is Lynch’s place in this Richmond side. Does it even matter if he’s out next week against Geelong? Based on his last game, maybe not. That’s a harsh reality, but it’s one Richmond might need to face. Because this version of Tom Lynch isn’t the spearhead of a premiership charge—he’s becoming a liability.
In a league that moves fast, veterans need to adapt or be left behind. Unfortunately, on Sunday, Lynch didn’t look like he was adapting. He looked like he was fighting a battle he’s already lost.
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