Richmond forward Tom Lynch has been suspended for five matches for a strike described by the AFL as a throwback to a “bygone era”.
The 32-year-old’s ban is the longest this season, eclipsing the four-game suspension handed to Hawthorn’s Conor Nash in April for striking.
Lynch failed to convince the AFL tribunal on Tuesday night to reduce the grading of the impact of his blow, which felled Adelaide’s Jordon Butts on Saturday at the MCG.
The Tiger was immediately apologetic after the game and expressed further remorse in the tribunal hearing.
“A significant sanction is warranted,” said tribunal chairman Jeff Gleeson KC, as part of a lengthy adjudication.
Gleeson pointed out that the tribunal guidelines specified that a four-match ban would be imposed at a minium.
“We do take into account the fact that this was what we regard as a serious intentional action with the potential to cause serious injury,” he said.
“We’ve already stated that we find that this strike has the potential to cause a concussion, and we consider that a concussion is a serious injury.”
“When 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.”
Lynch’s strike was graded as severe impact, intentional conduct and high contact by the AFL’s match review officer Michael Christian.
The dual premiership player’s counsel Sam Tovey argued the impact should have been graded as medium or high, while accepting the other gradings.
“I contested the mark, felt like Butts was holding on to me ... I swung my arm around to get him off me,” Lynch told the tribunal.
“Absolutely I got it wrong, and it was the wrong thing to do.”
Lynch denied hitting Butts with a clenched right fist as he can’t fully bend the middle finger on that hand since the middle knuckle was fused in a 2020 operation.
“I can’t bend my middle finger, so I can’t fully form a clenched fist,” he said.
“It was more a swipe to get him off me.”
With AAP