If there was any doubt as to which Gold Coast power forward would be leading the team into the next phase of its development as a regular finals contender, fans need only to look to Tom Lynch.
The quietly spoken 22-year-old made plenty of noise on-field in his fourth year in the AFL, plucking the second-most contested marks throughout the home-and-away season (43), second only to dual premiership spearhead Tom Hawkins (50).
After an injury-ravaged 2013 campaign, Lynch came into the premiership race fixed on making a statement, and he didn’t disappoint, booting 46 goals; the most in a single season from a Gold Coast player.
He kicked a career-best five goals against Greater Western Sydney in round six, and notched at least four goals in as many outings, stamping himself as one of the best young forwards in the game.
With Lynch acting in cohorts with fellow tall timber Sam Day and Charlie Dixon as team’s leading target men, Gold Coast’s triple-pronged attack threatens to wreak havoc for years to come.
The stats that matter
Senior matches: 22
Goals: 46 (2.1) (14th in AFL)
Disposals: 331 (15.0)
Marks: 122 (5.6)
Contested Marks: 43 (1.9) (5th in AFL)
Tackles: 41 (1.8)
Marks Inside-50: 62 (2.8) (6th in AFL)
Inside-50s: 50 (2.2)
What they said...
Led by Lynch’s four-goal haul, Gold Coast scored a thrilling upset victory over North Melbourne in round seven, and Guy McKenna didn’t back away from his appraisal of his star forward’s performance, likening the Victorian product to St Kilda champion Nick Riewoldt.
"Of the three talls he has been the one, and while the rest have had two-three pre-seasons, he has had one-and-half," McKenna said in his post-match press conference.
"His work-rate has been exceptional and you look at one of the hardest centre half-forwards in Nick Riewoldt, and he is down that path.
"When he gets fit and fills out, I pity the defender that will have to mark him because they will be in for a torrid time because his work rate is exceptional."
Memorable moment
On a day when the team finished with 11 goal-kickers, none were better than Lynch when the SUNS met Greater Western Sydney in round six at Metricon Stadium, as he returned a career-high five goals.
His breakout game didn’t go unnoticed by the umpires, with Lynch earning two Brownlow votes for his efforts.
