Fox Footy experts nominate Tom Lynch as the forward they would pick for their schoolyard team

IF YOU had the pick of all AFL forwards for your schoolyard team, who would you choose? A panel of Fox Footy experts was asked that question, and came up with a surprising answer.

SYDNEY superstar Lance Franklin has received no love from a panel of the game’s greats who have instead nominated Gold Coast’s Tom Lynch as the forward they would most want in their team this year.

A four-time Coleman Medal winner and seven-time All-Australian, Franklin was overlooked by 10 Fox Footy experts who were asked who was the first forward they would select for their team in a schoolyard-style pick.

SUPERCOACH: IS BUDDY A SMART PICK IN 2018?

Three members of the panel — which had 3010 games of AFL experience behind it — nominated Lynch as their first-picked player.

“He marks it better than everyone else, he works harder than most others, he’s big and he can affect the game in a fantastic way,” five-time Hawthorn premiership player Dermott Brereton said.

Lance Franklin looks in ominous form ahead of the 2018 season. Picture: Michael Klein

Tom Lynch is the most in-demand player in the game.

“I just think he’s herculean the way he plays and if he’s fit, once again we’ll say he’s the best key forward in the comp.”

The Herald Sun revealed on Tuesday that the Suns are prepared to offer the out-of-contract Lynch a seven-year deal worth $1.5 million a season to keep him beyond this year.

Brisbane Lions champion Jonathon Brown said Lynch would be worth every cent.

“That’s probably the going rate now for a dominant key forward,” Brown said.

“I’m sure there’ll be plenty of clubs in the market but I’m not sure the AFL will let him leave. There will be the salary cap money and then I’d say he’ll get a fair ambassadorial pay cheque on top of that if he stays.”

Sydney premiership coach Paul Roos, who has rejoined long-running Fox Footy show On the Couch this year, said Lynch would only improve if Gold Coast became a better team this season.

“It’s one thing to kick goals in a really good team, but it’s another thing to do what he’s done — kick goals, he’s often pushed down back when the team’s not going that well and played loose man,” Roos said.

Former Fremantle captain Matthew Pavlich said he would select “old-fashioned” style forward Jonathon Patton as his No. 1 man in attack while former Western Bulldogs forward Brad Johnson said he expected big things from Melbourne’s Jesse Hogan this year.

“I love his competitiveness and his smarts. He loves to crash a pack as well so with Jesse Hogan he’ll bring the smalls into it,” Johnson said.

Brownlow medallist Mark Rucciuto made a left-field selection, saying Geelong star Patrick Dangerfield could be just as good a forward as he is a midfielder, while former St Kilda skipper Nick Riewoldt selected West Coast’s Josh Kennedy and tipped him to claim a third Coleman Medal.

Two-time North Melbourne premiership player David King said a forward line could easily be built around “unique” GWS small Toby Greene while former Western Bulldogs captain Bob Murphy said Hawthorn skipper Jarryd Roughead still had everything you would want in a forward at age 31.

WHO WOULD YOU CHOOSE?

Fox Footy experts name the forward they would most want in their team this season.

Jason Dunstall: Cyril Rioli (Haw)

Mark Ricciuto: Patrick Dangerfield (Geel)

Brad Johnson: Jesse Hogan (Melb)

Matthew Pavlich: Jonathon Patton (GWS)

Bob Murphy: Jarryd Roughead (Haw)

Jonathon Brown: Tom Lynch (GC)

Nick Riewoldt: Josh Kennedy (WC)

Paul Roos: Tom Lynch (GC)

David King: Toby Greene (GWS)

Dermott Brereton: Tom Lynch (GC)