Richmond key forward Tom Lynch has won his first club best and fairest award

Tom Lynch has won two premierships since joining Richmond and has now added another special award to his AFL resume.

A barnstorming finish to the season came with a big reward for star Richmond forward Tom Lynch who capped off one of his best years at the Tigers by winning the club’s best and fairest.

Across the final four games of the home and away season Lynch kicked 21 goals, including a huge haul of eight against Hawthorn in round 22 to power to his first Jack Dyer medal.

Lynch finished the home and away season with maximum votes in four consecutive games and his five final round goals against Essendon sealed a one-vote win over teammate Daniel Rioli.

It was a win made more stunning given Lynch only played 19 of the Tiger’s 23 games in 2022, with Rioli playing every game to record his best ever finish in the Jack Dyer medal.

Tom Lynch takes a big mark against Brisbane at the MCG. Picture: Mark Stewart

Lynch booted 63 goals for the season, equalling the tally he reached in his first year at Punt Road, which also resulted in his first premiership.

The award was the 29-year-old key forward’s third club bests and fairest having win two club champion awards at Gold Coast in 2015 and 2016.

Midfield star Dion Prestia was four votes back in third, with Shai Bolton and Liam Baker (53) rounding out the top five.

It was the second year in a row that Bolton and Baker finished in the top five while Prestia, the 2019 winner, returned to the podium after two injury-interrupted seasons.

Former captain Trent Cotchin cam sixth, marking the 12th time in the past 13 seasons the triple-premiership winner has featured in the top 10 of the count while Dustin Martin’s nine game season saw him absent from the leaderboard.

2022 Jack Dyer Medal Leaderboard

1st- Tom Lynch (60 votes)

2nd- Daniel Rioli (59)

3rd- Dion Prestia (56)

Eq 4th- Liam Baker, Shai Bolton (53)

Eq 6th- Trent Cotchin, Jayden Short (52)

Eq 8th- Toby Nankervis, Marlion Pickett (47)

10th- Nathan Broad (46)