Tom Lynch avoids suspension for misconduct after pushing Alex Witherden’s head into ground

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick was happy with Tom Lynch’s aggressive approach in the Tigers’ win over Brisbane, although it has come at a cost to the key forward.

Lauren Wood, Simeon Thomas-Wilson and Chris Cavanagh

5 min read

August 5, 2020 - 4:03PM

The clash between Lachie Neale and Dustin Martin is shaping as a Brownlow Medal face-off.

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Tom Lynch has escaped suspension for his head shove on Lions opponent Alex Witherden.

The Richmond spearhead was hit with a $500 penalty — down from $750 with an early guilty plea — for the act, which match review officer Michael Christian classified as “misconduct”.

But it was a “cheap shot”, according to Port Adelaide premiership captain Warren Tredrea, who believes the league must stamp out such acts.

“It’s clearly intentional, it’s clearly high, but it’s minimal contact,” he said on Nine.

“So you’d think that that sits on a week, but it is open-hand, so I’d suggest he gets a fine. I think the AFL’s got a great opportunity to stamp that out.

“There was a similar one that happened in a Port and Giants game a few weeks ago, Todd Marshall copped one in the back of the head. We don’t want to see that – it’s just a cheap shot. “So I just think they start fining players … and stamp it out.”

Ex-St Kilda skipper Nick Riewoldt had said it would be up to the players to rid the game of what he said “doesn’t look good”.

Tom Lynch pushes Alex Witherden's head into the ground.

WATCH THE TOM LYNCH INCIDENT IN THE VIDEO ABOVE

“I think it’s got to be down to the players as a fraternity to come together and get rid of that stuff that’s crept in,” Riewoldt said on Fox Footy.

“I don’t think it does anyone any favours. It doesn’t look good for Tom Lynch, it doesn’t look good for the game.”

Brisbane defender Harris Andrews was fined $1000 for what Christian determined to be a dangerous tackle on Lynch.

“Based on the available evidence, the incident was assessed as careless Conduct, low Impact and high contact,” Christian said.

Tigers coach Damien Hardwick said he was pleased to see Lynch regain his “mojo” in front of goal against the Lions.

After weeks out of form Lynch and fellow key Richmond forward Jack Riewoldt were back with a bang against the Lions at Metricon Stadium, finishing with three and four goals respectively as the Tigers sent another statement to the rest of the AFL.

Hardwick said he knew the tide would turn for his key duo.

“They have been training incredibly well and we knew it would be a matter of time, I think Harris Andrews is probably the best defender in the land and I think our guys probably came out on top,” he said.

“Our boys rose to the challenge, they have been putting in a hell of a lot of hard work and finally got the outcome we were looking for.”

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Hardwick said Lynch played at his best when he had an edge.

“It is when he plays his best footy when he is physical,” he said.

“It is funny for a guy who is so nice off the field he is quite aggressive and that was probably the first thing I realised when I first saw him play.

“The way he hits the ball, the way he hits the contest … he has his mojo back which is great.”

While Witherden was not injured, the incident was assessed by match review officer Michael Christian as misconduct.

ROBBO: TIGER REVELATION ONE OF FINDS OF SEASON

Tom Lynch and Dustin Martin celebrate a Tigers goal. Picture: Michael Klein

Fagan bemoans bad kicking

The Tigers punished a wasteful Brisbane outfit, who kicked 17 behinds despite matching Richmond for most of the game.

Lions coach Chris Fagan was at a loss to explain just why the Lions were so bad in front of goal.

“It is sort of embarrassing that I have to answer this question because you guys will assess it and go well there is something going wrong,” he said.

“(But) we practice and practice and practice and practice and practice and practice I can tell you that right now.

“At training we kick quite accurately and we try to do it when they are fatigued and all those sort of things you do.

“We follow all the basics of good goal kicking practice, but it didn’t show … it seems to happen against Richmond.”

Lions coach Chris Fagan looks at a loss as he speaks to his young midfield. Picture: Jono Searle/AFL Photos

Streak stands at sweet 15

The Tigers winning streak over the Lions now stands at 15, and unless the two sides meet in finals it will now stand at 12 years since Richmond tasted defeat to Brisbane.

In the bout of two of the competition’s heavyweight teams the Lions threw plenty of punches but couldn’t land any meaningful hits on the reigning premiers.

In the second quarter Brisbane had 14 inside 50s, but like the qualifying final last year – where they kicked 8.17 to Richmond’s 18.4 – the Lions were wayward on a Metricon Stadium surface that’s starting to look like the old Docklands turf.

Sam Skinner missed from the top of the goalsquare after playing on, and Lincoln McCarthy hit the post when he should have scored.

After absorbing all the Brisbane blows, the Tigers then went up the other end and landed three big punches on the Lions in four minutes – finishing with five goals from nine forward 50 entries in the second.

Dustin Martin looks for the handball. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

HARRIS HORRORSHOW

He is arguably the best key defender in the competition but against old foe Lynch, Lions star Harris Andrews had a night he would want to forget.

After Brisbane kicked the first two goals of the game, Andrews gifted the Tigers two of their own in quick succession – out of position for the first and then spoiling it straight to a Richmond player for the second.

■ ROBBO: Tigers are in the heads of young Lions

Maybe it was the presence of youngster Jack Payne that spooked Andrews in the Lions backline but Lynch feasted on this rare off-day for the big Lion.

Rivals from many a QClash, Lynch and Andrews were at each other all game and the Tigers spearhead got in the early vital blows.

Harris Andrews of the Lions punches the ball out of defence. Picture: Michael Klein

LACHIE v DUSTY

Tigers coach Damien Hardwick conceded before the match that his side was almost powerless to stop Lachie Neale from winning the ball, instead backing his side’s previous plan of going with a team approach to him rather than a hard tag.

Unsurprisingly Neale finished with the most touches at Metricon Stadium – 26 – to further boost his Brownlow Medal chances, but he was let down by a disappointing Lions outfit in attack.

On the other hand Martin seemed to impact the game with nearly every touch he had of the footy, having 10 score involvements and three goal assists from his 24 touches.

TIGERS MOURN KRAUSS

In a sad footnote for the Tigers, Richmond CEO Brendon Gale announced on Twitter that club benefactor and former director Garry Krauss had passed away.

Krauss was crucial to the club’s survival in the 1980s, when he put up a $400,000 loan at a time the Tigers were $1.7 million in debt.

On a sad note, @Richmond_FC Vice-Patron, benefactor and former Director Garry Krauss passed away this evening. Always the eccentric, irreverent bon vivant, Garry fell in love with the club, and 30 yrs ago he arguably helped save it.
— Brendon Gale (@brendongale25) August 4, 2020