AFL unable to offer Tom Lynch big money ambassador role if he decides to stay with Gold Coast

THE AFL’s northern rivers of gold have evaporated, with only a modest AFL ambassadorship available to Tom Lynch if he stays at Gold Coast as rivals plan multimillion-dollar offers.

Tom Lynch celebrates a goal against Carlton.

THE AFL’s northern rivers of gold have evaporated, with only a modest AFL ambassadorship available to Tom Lynch if he stays at Gold Coast.

Lynch’s pay packet already hovers around $1 million at the Gold Coast, with the AFL adamant it would only consider a deal after he re-signed.

But the extent of the league’s crackdown on ambassadorships has emerged, with Lynch able to access as little as $50,000 from the league.

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Inaugural Gold Coast captain Gary Ablett was paid around that figure as an AFLQ ambassador during his time up north.

He also had a lucrative deal with Gatorade, also an AFL sponsor, but it was not dependent on him playing with Gold Coast.

Brisbane’s Dayne Zorko receives around $25,000 as an AFL multicultural ambassador, while Eric Hipwood accepts around $15,000 as an Auskick ambassador.

Tom Lynch celebrates a goal with Aaron Young.

The Suns confirmed they have no multicultural or Auskick ambassadors paid for by the league.

The league knocked on the head a Brisbane request for Luke Hodge to be an AFL ambassador in Queensland earlier this year.

It is a significant change for the AFL, which spent millions paying code-hoppers Karmichael Hunt and Israel Folau when they moved to expansion markets.

The Herald Sun understands former AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou spoke with the Giants mid-year to discuss ambassadorships when Lance Franklin was slated to move to GWS.

Restricted free agent Lynch has made it clear that he will wait until mid-season as he assesses Gold Coast’s progress.

But unlike Dustin Martin, his decision will not be based on accessing bigger deals from Victorian clubs.

Tom Lynch, Cairns mayor Bob Manning, Rusia Bann and Stuart Dew. Picture: Stewart McLean

Gold Coast has the salary cap to offer him a lucrative deal of up to seven years, having already paid him a huge wage this season.

Hawthorn and Richmond both believe they are contenders for his services, with Collingwood also interested in the star forward.

Whether he would move to Collingwood and accept the pressures of becoming their forward-line messiah remains to be seen.

AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan said at a Fox Footy launch recently that Scott Pendlebury receives the most funding as an AFL ambassador in the league.

But it is understood Pendlebury has in recent years had deals with AFL sponsors Telstra and Gatorade, so is paid by them rather than the league.

McLachlan has made clear the AFL won’t save Lynch from moving south if money is the deciding factor.

“No, let’s be really clear, he has to make a decision based on the merits,’’ McLachlan said.

“He makes a decision, if and when any player has signed, then people will go and look at it, there was some confusion around that. The highest-paid ambassadors - or the players who are getting the most ambassador money - three of the top four, I think, were with Melbourne clubs.

“That will have no bearing on whether Tom Lynch re-signs or not.’’

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