Crows breathe sigh of relief as star forward Tom Lynch signs new three-year deal

CROWS forward Tom Lynch has given the club a much-needed morale boost, signing a new three-year deal despite lucrative offers from Victorian clubs.

Tom Lynch celebrates a goal … now the talismanic forward has committed his future to Adelaide for another three years. Picture: Kelly Barnes/AAP

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CROWS forward Tom Lynch’s impasse for a new deal at the Adelaide Football Club is over. The much-valued linkman has a new three-year deal with the Crows.

“I am excited to continue to call Adelaide home,” Lynch said on Sunday after pushing aside lucrative offers from Victorian-based AFL clubs seeking to tempt the far-running forward with a go-home deal.

Lynch, 27, has given Adelaide a much-needed “good news” moment after a week of turmoil with its four-game losing streak and off-field controversy surrounding the Crows’ contentious pre-season camp on the Gold Coast in late January.

The club’s remaining task in list management is to retain vice-captain Rory Sloane from free-agency offers and to hold contracted forward Mitch McGovern who continues to be linked to a move to Victoria, in particular to Hawthorn.

Lynch, a 109-game player with Adelaide, had sought to stay with the Crows from late last season.

Amid the impasse it was strongly speculated Adelaide was looking at Lynch as trade bait to bundle first-round picks for this year’s AFL national draft which is loaded with South Australian talent.

The fan backlash from such a trade play would have been difficult for Adelaide to sell.

Originally traded to Adelaide from St Kilda at the end of 2011 AFL season, Lynch has emerged as an important part of the Crows system in linking play to their key forwards. He also is highly respected among his teammates, as recognised by his place in the team leadership group.

“I’ve made some lifelong friends since (moving to the Crows) and every day I’m surrounded by a committed playing and coaching group who are always trying to get better,” Lynch said in a club statement on Sunday.

Lynch is understood to have signed at Adelaide for less than market value as signalled by Victorian clubs offering around $700,000-a-season for his signature.

His salary at Adelaide will be no less than $550,000.

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Originally published as Crows breathe sigh of relief as star forward Tom Lynch signs new three-year deal