Tom Lynch has to make selfish call and get out of Gold Coast

TOM Lynch gave the Suns a chance to show success wasn’t far away, but halfway through the season the club is a basket case. Wouldn’t he rather play finals for a big Melbourne club?

Tom Lynch of the Gold Coast Suns.

GOLD Coast’s Tom Lynch has to get out.

At the start of the season we all thought the gun spearhead was a good chance to leave, but was happy to give the Suns, as a football club, the chance to show success was not far away.

Halfway through 2018 things are bleak.

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To be fair to new coach Stuart Dew, he’s doing his best and has made some key changes in their defensive structure and cultural improvements, but he was handed a basket case.

If it wasn’t already the AFL’s biggest problem, it’s right up there now.

Richmond and Hawthorn are the two clubs who are looking like Lynch’s preferred new destination. Collingwood is probably one rung down, but is still in the hunt.

Let’s cast our minds forward to Round 1 next season. Does Lynch want to be standing in the goalsquare at Metricon Stadium or looking around at 90,000 at the MCG? What sort of adrenaline would he feel if he slotted the first one of the game for the Tigers, for example, against Carlton.

Lynch is 25. We all know as a key forward how good he is. We’ve seen the clunking pack marks for years now. But his management would be almost negligent if Paul Connors and Robbie D’Orazio aren’t at this point thinking very seriously about moving their client to Melbourne.

Tom Lynch takes a mark in Gold Coast’s big loss to Geelong.

He’s in the absolute prime of his football career, but that could be wasted in Queensland over the next few years as the Suns try desperately to lift off the bottom of the ladder.

The reality is it is baby steps for them. And Lynch shouldn’t be made to pay the price for the mistakes made by people at this organisation in the past.

He has to be selfish here. This is his career. And if he moves, should we hold that against him? No way.

There’s been a lot of talk about Carlton and maybe even Brisbane being worthy of a priority pick at the end of the year. There can be no doubt the club which deserves emergency assistance more than any other is the red and yellow team in the sunshine state.

The Suns will get a top-five pick if Lynch departs but you’d have to wonder how many of his teammate are also thinking of leaving, just like Gary Ablett did at the end of last year.

Where does Tom Lynch want to be in Round 1 next year?

This footy club needs saving. But for Lynch can’t be carrying the can and waiting until the twilight of his career to be in the premiership hunt, let alone playing finals.

The Tigers, Magpies and Hawks would all have to be a genuine chance to be there when the whips are cracking next season with Lynch in the goalsquare — probably on a long-term deal worth about $1 million over five seasons or more.

That’s why when Lynch’s management sat down with the goalkicker last week in Melbourne they would have definitely put things off on the contract front until the end of the year. And it’s a good call.

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Originally published as Tom Lynch has to make selfish call and get out of Gold Coast