In-form Gold Coast spearhead Tom Lynch reaches an important milestone against Essendon at Etihad Stadium this Sunday when he runs out for his 100th AFL game.
The SUNS vice-captain has taken his game to another level in 2016, sitting equal second in the Coleman Medal race with 61 goals from 19 games and his name firmly in All Australian calculations.
Lynch, a product of Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, is excited about cracking the century in front of his family and friends.
“I’m excited. Get to play it down in Melbourne in front of my family and friends, which is exciting so I’m looking forward to it,” Lynch said.
“When I got drafted hoping to play first game and then obviously went 50 games and now 100 games so never thought I’d make 100 but really exciting.”
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The 23-year-old is just the third player to reach 100 games for the game’s 17th franchise, with leaders Michael Rischitelli and Jarrod Harbrow the other two.
Lynch couldn’t be prouder to be grouped with a pair of the club’s most respected players.
“Those two guys have been fantastic, Rischa and Harbs,” he said.
“Obviously they were here for the first year but they’ve really set up the club, set the tone for the club along with Gary and the other guys.
“I’m obviously proud to play 100 games for the Gold Coast SUNS and I’m definitely proud to be up alongside those guys.”
In a daunting prospect for opposition backmen across the competition, Lynch declared he still has a long way to improve despite being labelled earlier in the month by Jonathan Brown as the ‘best player in the game’.
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“I feel like every year I’ve improved. I feel like JC (Justin Cordy), he’s really physically improved me this year,” Lynch said.
“A bit stronger and a bit quicker I reckon through his program so I think I’ve definitely got a long way to go to improve.
“Still only young, 23, so I feel like I can still improve in most areas.”
The SUNS will travel to Melbourne looking to record their seventh win of the season against the bottom-placed Essendon.
“We’re definitely going down there to win,” Lynch said.
“I think we’ve been really building the last month, disappointing not to get the win on the weekend so we’ll be heading down there trying to get the four points.”
