Tom Lynch may be 32, suspended, and short on impact in 2025, but club legend Matthew Richardson insists Richmond must back him to go around again next season.
Lynch was hit with a five-game ban for striking Adelaide’s Jordon Butts in Round 16, a moment of frustration that capped off a statless first half. But Richardson believes the two-time premiership hero still has an important role to play, especially in supporting a raw forward line.
“I still think he's important for Richmond moving forward for another 12 months,” Richardson told 3AW. “You can't throw these young teenage key forwards to the slaughter next year.”
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“He still gets the No.1 key defender”
Richmond’s key forward depth includes teenagers Liam Fawcett, Jonty Faull, Thomas Sims and Harry Armstrong, all promising, but still untested. Mykelti Lefau has shown glimpses at 27 but has only managed 11 senior games.
“Tom, yeah, he's not the player he once was, and we all decline a little bit in our mid 30s, but he still gets the No.1 key defender,” Richardson said.
“Even if he is playing on next year, he gets the No.1 defender, and it allows these young guys to develop.”
Lynch’s record, two flags, six-time club leading goal-kicker, All-Australian, speaks for itself. But Richardson says he must now shift focus from personal accolades to mentorship.
“I think what you've got to do is lower your own expectations on yourself,” he said. “If Tom just thinks that he's there to help support these young guys for 12 months, I think he's still got a role to play.”