Ace Crows forward Tom Lynch has declared his fitness for Friday night blockbuster against Essendon
After overcoming a calf injury, important Crows forward Tom Lynch says he is fit and ready to go against Essendon at Adelaide Oval on Friday night.
Crows forward Tom Lynch — one of the club’s most important players — says he is fit to play in the Friday night blockbuster against Essendon at Adelaide Oval.
After missing five matches with a calf tendon injury, Lynch got through Wednesday’s main training session and breezed through a light run on Thursday morning to put his hand up for selection against the Bombers.
He says he only has to convince coach Don Pyke that he is ready to step straight back into AFL ranks — rather than need a run in the SANFL — to line up in the battle of seventh versus eighth at The Oval.
“I’ve got to get picked first (but) I’m fine to play, I’m playing,” Lynch told Mix 102.3.
“I’m clear to play.”
The Crows’ “Connector’’ forward hasn’t played since the come-from-behind win against Melbourne in Darwin.
He was hurt in the pre-game warm-up against the Giants in round 12.
The injury was initially supposed to sideline Lynch for just a week or two but it was worse than first feared and lingered on.
“It did drag out,’’ Lynch said.
“But if you told someone the injury they would have said this is about the period where it would start to progress and get back. We just hoped it would be sooner.
“It was frustrating because I was able to run around a week later and run nearly at top speed but as soon as I went to take off that’s when it would aggravate again, so it’s been quite annoying.
“It’s been incredibly frustrating. We were trying each week to get up and play (but) it’s just taken the time.”
Adelaide will name its 22 to play Essendon at 6pm on Thursday.
Defender Daniel Talia said fellow backmen Luke Brown (back), Alex Keath (ankle) and Brodie Smith (illness), who were limited at training on Wednesday, also completed Thursday morning’s light session and were “looking good’’ to play against the Bombers.
“They all got through training, so we should have a pretty settled side,’’ Talia said.