Tom Lynch is not only one of the best players in the competition, but statistics tell us he now sits comfortably alongside the three greatest centre half-forwards of the modern era.
Through the first 100 games of their careers, Lynch, who vaults into the AFL Players' Top 50 at No.14, loses no ground to Dermott Brereton, Wayne Carey and Jonathan Brown, other than in finals experience.
He's no longer a young man on the rise – the greats themselves agree where Lynch sits among today's forwards.
He's the best.
In the past six months alone, Brereton and Brown have both claimed the Gold Coast co-captain is the number one spearhead in today's game.
It's no knock on the likes of Lance Franklin or Josh Kennedy, but at 24 Lynch is entering his prime and already has some great numbers alongside his name.
Tom Lynch v the greats after 100 games
Brereton | Brown | Carey | Lynch | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  |  | |
Goals | 210 | 146 | 244 | 187 |
Marks | 550 | 624 | 682 | 591 |
Disposals | 1465 | 1392 | 1628 | 1430 |
Finals | 15 | 15 | 3 | 0 |
Flags | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Lynch is a contested marking colossus and was within range of winning last year's Coleman Medal until late in the season, despite his team winning just six games and supplying precious few inside 50s.
"(Lynch) is the best player in the comp,” Brereton recently told Melbourne radio station SEN.
"If you gave me an open chequebook and said, 'Start a club, who do you want to buy first?', Tom Lynch is my number one target, bar none.
"He works the hardest out of every key forward, he has the best hands.
"He is a bit robotic in his kicking nature but he runs hard, works hard, he’s aggressive and just marks anything above head height in his area."
It's high praise from a five-time premiership player.
Brown has seen Lynch up close for most of his career and has always been a fan.
"I just really enjoy watching his footy," Brown told AFL.com.au last year.
"He's a lot more athletic, he's taller than I am, so I'd say he's got more strings to his bow than I do. I always loved his aggression.
"Tom Lynch is to me the best all around key forward in the competition currently."
