Tom Lynch tribunal: Tigers forward to face tribunal for haymaker at Jordon Butts

Tom Lynch has been handed the biggest ban of the season after the spearhead was banned for five weeks for his swing on the Crows’ Jordon Butts.

The AFL has slammed Tom Lynch for committing “an action from a bygone era” as he was handed the longest suspension this season at the tribunal on Tuesday night.

Lynch was banned for five games after Richmond failed in its bid to downgrade the impact of his wild strike at Adelaide defender Jordon Butts at the MCG on Sunday.

The three-man tribunal of chair Jeff Gleeson, David Neitz and Jordan Bannister ruled in favour of the AFL’s push for a five-game ban for Lynch due to the potential for Butts to be seriously injured.

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After an hour of deliberation, Mr Gleeson said the tribunal had decided the impact would not be downgraded from severe, guaranteeing at least a four-match ban and leading the Tigers to change tact by arguing the incident should be considered “at the lower end of severe”.

Despite Butts avoiding injury and playing on after the strike, AFL match review officer Michael Christian had been able to grade the impact as “severe” under a special provision accounting for the capacity to cause serious injury.

Mr Gleeson said the tribunal would uphold that grading, as the strike was “quite capable” of causing a concussion to Butts.

The tribunal members broke for 10 more minutes before coming back with a verdict of five weeks.

“We do take into account the fact that this was what we regard as a serious, intentional action with the potential to cause serious injury,” Mr Gleeson said.

“This strike had the potential to cause a concussion, and we consider that a concussion is a serious injury.

“When we consider the totality of the matters, including the fact that Lynch clearly formed an intent to strike Butts … that it was not in play, that he struck Butts in the back of the head, and that he did so having swung his arm with great force, we find that a significant sanction is warranted. We impose a sanction of five matches’ suspension.”

Lynch, who appeared via video link wearing a suit with a yellow and black tie, conceded he had “got it wrong” by swinging his arm at Butts and said he had apologised to his opponent after the game.

Tom Lynch swings at Jordan Butts

He blinked repeatedly but was emotionless as the verdict was handed down.

The dual premiership forward faced a persistent line of questioning from AFL counsel Nick Pane KC over whether he had lashed out at Butts with a clenched fist.

Lynch maintained that he had made contact with a partially open hand, and said he was unable to form a fully clenched fist with his right hand due to an inability to bend his right middle finger.

The Tigers, represented by Sam Tovey, argued the impact should be reduced because the potential for serious injury had been overstated.

Mr Tovey played footage from tribunal cases earlier this year involving Conor Nash (four weeks), Jack Scrimshaw and Patrick Voss (both three weeks) where the player they struck was injured.

“The worst that could’ve happened (with Lynch), largely did happen,” Mr Tovey said.

“It’s not particularly surprising that Butts was able to play on, essentially unaffected.

“It wasn’t the result of some stroke of luck, but the natural consequence of what actually happened in this case.”

An agitated Tom Lynch of the Tigers walks to the room at half time against Adelaide. Picture: Morgan Hancock/Getty Images.

Lynch said he made contact with his arm simultaneously to the “neck, back of (Butts’) head and across the shoulders”.

The AFL argued Lynch was “not discerning” with where he intended to hit Butts, and could have caused a concussion or other injuries including to the jaw or spinal region if his opponent had been facing in a slightly different direction.

“It’s more good luck than good management that a flush of contact wasn’t made and injury wasn’t sustained,” Mr Pane said.

“The action we have seen on the video is an action that is consistent with five weeks rather than four. It’s a blatant, forceful swinging arm, regardless of whether contact is with a clenched fist, partially clenched fist or the bottom part of Lynch’s hand.

“It was the type of action from a bygone era, which might explain why there are no examples in the AFL guidelines.

“The AFL position is quite simple … there is no place for it in our game.”

If Richmond chooses not to appeal the ban, Lynch will not be able to return until the round 22 clash with St Kilda on August 9.

Already without Noah Balta for two of the next three games due to his court imposed curfew, it will leave the 17th-placed Tigers scrambling for forward targets after they were dominated in the air by Adelaide’s defenders on Sunday.

Originally published as Tom Lynch tribunal: Tigers forward to face tribunal for haymaker at Jordon Butts