Nathan Buckley reveals meeting with Gold Coast Sun star Tom Lynch
UPDATE: After Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley revealed he’s met Gold Coast star Tom Lynch in a bid to lure him south, the Pies president says they’re not the only ones making their play.
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COLLINGWOOD coach Nathan Buckley has confirmed the Pies have met with Gold Coast star Tom Lynch in a bid to lure him to the club.
Lynch, widely tipped to leave the Suns for a Melbourne club on a multimillion-dollar long-term deal, has interest from the Pies, Richmond and Hawthorn.
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The 25-year-old key forward was spotted at Melbourne Airport earlier this month with Richmond football boss Neale Balme.
Buckley said on Nine’s Footy Classified he had met with Lynch personally.
“Look, I think to be transparent, I think more clubs these days are very proactive about improving their lists and about wanting to give themselves the best chance to contend,” Buckley said.
“Not just in this season but in seasons beyond. So, in season, we make no apologies for being a club that wants to be as competitive as we possibly can in the future.
“We understand there are other clubs that are going about their business in the same manner.”
“Any club needs to consider where they think they are at, where their salary cap is at.
“Tom Lynch is a player that I can see fitting into our structure really well and making us a better team.
“So if that is an indication of our interest in him, well then so be it.
“I don’t think there are many coaches that wouldn’t want him.”
Pies president Eddie McGuire says discussions around Lynch’s future are warranted because the injured Suns co-captain is “actively talking” to clubs.
Asked whether he liked the running commentary around Lynch, McGuire said: “I’ve had people approach me about changing positions and things like that, it happens,” McGuire told Triple M’s Hot Breakfast.
“I don’t want it played out necessarily in the public, but at the same time if you deny it you prove to be a liar at some stage, so if you ask directly you might as well answer the question.
“I think the difference with Tom Lynch is that he’s out for the rest of the season and is actually actively talking ... everyone knows he’s out talking to different people.”
The revelation will only pour more fuel on the belief Lynch will leave his club at season’s end.
The off-contract forward had successful surgery on his troublesome knee in Melbourne last week and will miss the remainder of the Suns’ season.
Coach Stuart Dew last week said he had “parked” discussions about Lynch’s future for now but fears he may have played his last game for the struggling franchise, admitting the club’s prospects of keeping him are “not looking great”.
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Originally published as Nathan Buckley reveals meeting with Gold Coast Sun star Tom Lynch
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