Gold Coast needs Tom Lynch to give his best, writes Matthew Lloyd

TOM Lynch has probably decided whether he is leaving Gold Coast at the end of the season but, regardless, he still owes the Suns his best efforts, writes MATTHEW LLOYD.

Tom Lynch is in a difficult position as Gold Coast waits for a decision on his future. Picture: Michael Klein

TOM Lynch’s greatest asset is that he is a ruthless competitor who hates to be beaten.

He was handed the captaincy of Gold Coast because of the standards he sets not only for himself but also, more importantly, his younger, more impressionable teammates.

It was his competitive ­nature and his ability to work opponents into the ground that resulted in him becoming an All-Australian in 2016, when he kicked 66 goals in a side that won only six games.

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March 31 this year must seem like a lifetime ago for Lynch and the Suns.

It was Round 2 at Etihad Stadium. Lynch put Carlton to the sword, kicking eight goals from 21 disposals, and his teammates chased and tackled like men possessed.

The Suns appeared to have built a game plan under new coach Stuart Dew that would be sustainable because of the pressure they applied when the Blues had the ball.

But their defensive acts have become non-existent in recent weeks and Lynch has played like a beaten man in a hopeless situation, rather than an inspirational leader who will fight to the death to lead his team out of the mire.

He must feel as if the walls are closing in on him at Gold Coast as it awaits his decision on his future.

Chris Judd spoke during the week of playing with a sense of guilt in his final year at West Coast in 2007, when he knew he would be moving on at the end of the season.

Tom Lynch needs to go out and just play. Picture: Getty Images

Knowing how the system works, Lynch already would have decided whether he is leaving the Suns and, if he is, he might know already where he is likely to play in 2019.

For a man with a strong conscience, that wouldn’t be easy.

But it is time for Lynch to let the two hours on the weekend be his sanctuary and let his football do the talking.

You never want to waste a game, let alone a season, ­because every opportunity is precious, but the past two weeks have been an embarrassment for the Suns and Lynch.

There would be no tougher place to play at the moment than full-forward for the Suns.

In saying that, though, Lynch has to be able to look Dew and Gold Coast chief executive Mark Evans in the eye at season’s end and, if he has chosen to leave, they can look back at him and say: “You could not have done any more for us, Tom. All the best.”

I know this is a totally different situation to the one in which Patrick Dangerfield found himself at Adelaide, ­because the Crows were a much stronger team than the Suns, but “Danger” could not have done any more for ­Adelaide in his final season.

He was far and away his team’s best player and performed brilliantly while knowing he would leave at year’s end, despite how desperate the Crows were to keep him.

Lynch looks to have lost both his passion and his hard edge and often has played as if it has been a chore over the past 18 months.

Tom Lynch’s eight-goal performance against Carlton seems a long time ago. Picture: AAP

It can happen — I have been there many times — but his pride in his performance, knowing just how competitive he is, should take over now.

Lynch has kicked only six goals and laid only five tackles in his past five games.

He is better than that, despite the team in which he is playing. He should be giving more, even if it is further up the ground.

Aside from their inaugural game, no other match in the Suns’ 7½-year history has been as important as Saturday’s against St Kilda.

Your next game is always the most important, but with both clubs lacking belief and relevance, the four premiership points have never meant so much for each of them.

I will be glued to the television, eager to see Lynch’s first attack on the ball or the man.

It will say so much about his mindset.

Will he attack his first lead like Tony Lockett would have? To try to inspire his young team, will he lay a bone-crunching tackle early, like Joel Selwood would?

Maybe he should go back and watch some Tom Lynch highlights from 2016, when he was the best forward in the game because of his competitiveness, workrate and thirst for the contest.

Tom, the club you lead has never needed you more than it does right now.

Release the shackles, clear the mind and just play.

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