Adelaide forward Tom Lynch is hopeful of playing next weekend, after contracting viral meningitis

ADELAIDE forward Tom Lynch says there were fears he could have contracted meningococcal disease when he was admitted to hospital last month.

Tom Lynch. Picture: Sarah Reed

ADELAIDE forward Tom Lynch says there were fears he could have contracted meningococcal disease or encephalitis when he was admitted to hospital last month.

The 26-year-old spent two nights in intensive care, mainly sleeping, as he waited for his eventual diagnosis of viral meningitis.

“The fear was that it was going to get much worse with the symptoms I was getting,” Lynch told Adelaide radio station Mix 102.3.

“But I got through that day and now I’m on the mend.”

LISTEN TO THE LATEST FOX FOOTY PODCAST BELOW, OR TAP HERE TO SUBSCRIBE IN iTunes

Tom Lynch. Photo: Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images

Lynch returned to light running this week, but won’t return to playing AFL until his health improves substantially.

“I feel really good, I feel like I’ve improved heaps,” he said.

“I just have this constant headache, which is basically inflammation around the brain. It can’t get any worse or change if I continue exercise.”

While Lynch is unsure how he contracted the virus, what he does know is that he contracted it in one of the worst places possible.

Instead of the bug affecting his stomach, it lingered in his spine before it travelled up to his neck and brain.

“It has been a crazy couple of weeks and I’m just glad I’ve gotten over the hill and am starting to get on the improve,” Lynch said.

“First of all you’re filthy about missing footy, but then it started to get pretty scary and I started worrying about my health.

“Then once you get the all clear with that you’re back to being filthy about missing footy.”

Adelaide skipper Taylor Walker suggested Lynch had lost up to five kilograms earlier this week.

But Lynch refuted those claims, saying the weight loss much less severe.

Lynch will be sitting alongside Don Pyke in the coaches’ box for tonight’s match against the Western Bulldogs, with the hope he’ll be fit to face Melbourne in Round 17.

“I’d love to be playing tonight,” Lynch said.

“Next week is a possibility I’m pushing for.”

LIVE stream every game of every round of the 2017 Toyota AFL Premiership Season on FOX SPORTS. Get your free 2-week Foxtel Now trial and start watching in minutes. SIGN UP NOW >>

Originally published as Adelaide forward Tom Lynch is hopeful of playing next weekend, after contracting viral meningitis