Tom Lynch learns his fate at AFL Tribunal over brutal haymaker

Two-time premiership player Tom Lynch has learnt his fate at the AFL Tribunal after hitting an opponent with an off the ball punch.

Richmond forward Tom Lynch has been slapped with a five-week suspension following a lengthy hearing at the AFL Tribunal.

Lynch found himself in the spotlight of the AFL after he was hit with a striking charge after an incident with Adelaide defender Jordon Butts on Sunday.

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The 32-year-old Tigers star was not enjoying the close attention of Butts and late in the first quarter he lashed out after a marking contest, turning and whacking the Crows player across the face/head area, prompting him to fall to the turf in pain.

The umpire blew a free kick and Lynch engaged in some further argy bargy with Crows players.

The Tigers had attempted to argue that the incident was high impact, not severe as had been noted. They stated it was also not done with a closed fist with images shown to the Tribunal that Lynch was unable to make a closed fist due to a permanently fused joint on the middle finger on his right hand.

“Nowhere on the footage is there clear evidence of a clenched fist, particularly at the point of impact,” Sam Tovey said in Lynch’s defence.

“In order to uphold a ‘severe’ grading, the Tribunal would need to be clearly satisfied contact was made with a fully clenched fist.”

Lynch said he had not swung a punch at Butts, instead it was a swiping motion. Despite this the AFL said regardless of it was a closed fist or not, the force of the swing had potential to cause injury.

“It’s a blatant, forceful swinging arm ... it was the type of action of a bygone era. The AFL position is quite simple, there’s no place for it in our game,” the AFL’s Nick Pane said.

Richmond's Tom Lynch reported for swinging hit on Adelaide's Jordan Butts

The AFL’s ruling and reasoning behind five-game ban

“This matter involves the relatively rare offence of an intentional strike. Lynch admits he intentionally struck Butts,” Pane said.

“He contends that he did not intend to strike him high, but he admits that this is what he did. The only matter in issue is the level of impact.

“The AFL submits that the impact was severe. It is submitted on behalf of Lynch that the impact was either medium or no higher than high. We find that the impact was severe.

“As the AFL noted, Lynch swung his arm in an upwards motion beginning at roughly his own hip, and made forceful contact with the back of Butts’ head, his neck and the top of his back.

Butts went to ground, but was not injured and did not leave the ground as a result of the strike.

“The Tigers placed considerable emphasis on the absence of injury. In our view, however, the potential for injury was very high indeed.

“Lynch made a full and unrestrained swing of his arm in an upwards motion and the force of the impact with Butts’ head was considerable.

Adelaide players remonstrated with Tom Lynch in the wake of his shot on Butts. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/Getty Images)

“Given we have found that the strike had severe impact the table in the guidelines and regulations specifies that the sanction is four or more matches.

“In determining the appropriate sanction for an offence that is found to be intentional, severe and high, all aspects of the offence are to be taken into account.

“We note in this regard that the Tribunal guidelines provide serious intentional actions will be subject to greater sanctions commensurate with the potential to cause serious injury and/or the potential to prejudice the reputation of any person, club or the AFL, or bring the AFL or bring the game of football into disrepute.

“We consider the totality of the matters, including the fact that Lynch clearly formed an intent to strike Butts, that it was not in play, that he struck Butts in the back of the head and that he did so having swung his arm with great force, we find that a significant sanction is warranted.

“We impose a sanction of a five-match suspension.”

Tom Lynch can now not return to the Tigers lineup until round 22. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/Getty Images)

Lynch addressed the ugly incident shortly after the Tigers lost to the Crows, speaking to Channel 7.

“I didn’t want to cause harm or anything like that, I was just trying to get free and the frustration came out,” he said.

“I gave away too many free kicks and was not good enough as a leader; said at halftime sorry boys, thought we were playing pretty well in that second quarter and it pretty much stopped the momentum.

“I was just more frustrated with how he was defending me, I thought. And clearly it was within the rules because there were no free kicks awarded to me and I went outside the rules. I’ve got to be better.”

The Tigers forward will now miss matches against Geelong, Essendon, West Coast, Collingwood and Gold Coast.

He’ll be eligible to return to the Tigers team for the round 22 contest against St Kilda at the MCG on August 9.

- with foxsports.com.au

Originally published as Tom Lynch learns his fate at AFL Tribunal over brutal haymaker