Tom Lynch heads to AFL tribunal for bump ban verdict

Alex Mitchell | April 11, 2023

Superstar forward Tom Lynch will head to the AFL Tribunal where he faces at least a three-week ban for his bump that concussed Western Bulldog defender Alex Keath.

Richmond’s Lynch crunched Keath in the Tigers’ five-point loss, his bump ruled careless conduct, high contact and severe impact, triggering the tribunal hearing and a minimum three-game ban.

He’s expected to argue he was attacking the ball in a marking contest and had his eyes on the ball.

Any suspension won’t impact Lynch, given he broke his foot in the loss and will require surgery before he returns to the park.

No timeline has been set on his return but he’s looking at a two-month minimum recovery time.

Tigers coach Damien Hardwick argued post-game Lynch should have no case to answer as he had been attempting to mark the ball, bristling when told commentators had taken issue with the collision.

Former Hawthorn champion Jason Dunstall, who was calling the match, doubled down in his assessment Lynch was in trouble on Monday night.

“You can only be clumsy so often, and so deliberately clumsy so often,” the Fox Footy commentator said.

“He’ll be in trouble … because he doesn’t contest the ball.

“(Hardwick) is getting a little bit cranky because things aren’t going according to plan, but what I do love about him is he always goes into bat for his players.”

Carlton’s Harry McKay might also head to the tribunal to fight a one-match ban he was given for striking North Melbourne starlet Harry Sheezel.

His hit was judged as careless, medium impact and high contact, but it’s been suggested the Blues might challenge the impact grading.

Match review findings from Easter Monday’s clash between Geelong and Hawthorn could feature a number of charges, including against Hawks ruck Lloyd Meek.

Meek kneed Geelong’s Mark Blicavs at a first-quarter ruck contest, with Cats coach Chris Scott saying post-game the “dangerous” action needs to be taken out of the game.

Former Melbourne champion Garry Lyon agreed and said Meek should be cited, adding he “hated” the kneeing motion.

Blicavs was taken from the field after hurting his ribs but returned to the game.

“You can’t just be stationary on the ground and chuck your knee up, there’s all sorts of organs there that are dangerous,” Lyon told Fox Footy.

“If this is a natural footy action we’re in all sorts of trouble.”