Lynch to Richmond... what the?

[Bunk Moreland]

Does this strike anybody else as a really strange move?

Obviously he’s a great player, but a couple of things...

Firstly there is probably salary cap implications - he’s meant to be on $1m plus... nobody is leaving Richmond, there’ll all on the rise... new All Aust players etc... they’re definitely going to lose players next year onwards because of Lynch. But that’s not really my main question, I’m sure they’ve weighed that up and figured it’s worth it.

I’m more on about the tactics side. All we’ve heard for two seasons is how fantastic Richmond’s forward pressure is and how it’s built around their mosquito fleet. And it absolutely is - I’ve watched them a few times and they absolutely choke the opposition.

It’s all built around having one key in Riewoldt, a mid like Caddy (both of who are mobile anyway)... then a stack of very quick smalls that slaughter the opposition and keep the ball in.

I know he’s fairly mobile for his size... but throwing in another key forward like Lynch absolutely and fundamentally changes how they line up. Coming off a game plan that has them dominating the competition.

I’m not saying they shouldn’t recruit - go and get whoever you want... but this just seems like a really strange move that totally changes a winning formula. Surely at the height of a dominant period like this, taking advantage of it immediately is the priority.

Yeah? No?

 

[BallaratBulldog]

If you stay stagnate, you will be caught out. It's pretty even these seasons of late.

 

[Tom_Thumb]

Jack only needs crumbers not someone to take away his thunder, being the best full forward at the moment.

 

[100action]

Sister plays in the salary uncapped aflw side, and according to a Richmond supporter on the rumour board, bought a house in south yarra at the old age of 21 years old.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

If you stay stagnate, you will be caught out. It's pretty even these seasons of late.

True, but... I can’t think of a single bigger change you could possibly make to Richmond’s setup than to add a big, key forward.

It’s not just changing, it seems completely revolutionary.

 

[demondavey]

I think he will be on less at Richmond than he was at the Suns.

 

[Lsta062]

True, but... I can’t think of a single bigger change you could possibly make to Richmond’s setup than to add a big, key forward.

It’s not just changing, it seems completely revolutionary.

The pressure element would still remain but as good as we have been with the small forward line, we still need a decent tall up forward so that our inside 50s can count for a bit more than what they do now.

Also, there are many times where we are just not tall enough around the ground (evident against Adelaide and West Coast away), so any decent player with height is a welcome introduction to our structure.

 

[The Goon]

True, but... I can’t think of a single bigger change you could possibly make to Richmond’s setup than to add a big, key forward.

It’s not just changing, it seems completely revolutionary.

Really, really good point you raise. But, at times this year and last we've added (useless) talls to our lineup and still won. It could well * us in the arse, but Dimma's new philosophy appears to be to construct the game-plan around the team. If you can do this successfully why not add Lynch and adjust accordingly?

Plus, I don't think people acknowledge Lynch is both a fallback in case Riewoldt is ever injured, and a decent bet as our FF for the next 5-7 years. If we lost Jack we'd be ****ed.

 

[Power Raid]

it's a brilliant move

 

[Dez!]

I think he will be on less at Richmond than he was at the Suns.

No, he won't be.

 

[TW Sherrin]

Will be interesting to see who the cap casualty is.

 

[ossie_21]

Fold the comp, it's a one horse race for the next 5 years

 

[The 747]

it's a brilliant move

Totally agree. You have to keep evolving and changing.

 

[fishardansin]

They have that forward set up because it works around limitations of their list. They will probably be able to fit him in the salary cap as their list is very top heavy. Yes there are a bunch of previously unheralded and young players doing well in certain roles, but outside of their system and without their stars in front of them they wouldn't be worth that much.

I think Lynch is a fantastic move for them. It allows them to play Lynch very deep forward. This will allow them to kick longer with their pressure game. Reiwoldt can push high and the marking and size of Caddy and Martin can be put to better use in the midfield.

 

[HTPunter]

I think they can afford to replace a player like Townsend (averages a tick over 3 tackles a game at Richmond, sub 10 disposals, approx 1.8 goals) for Lynch...they lose 1 or 2 tackles and a couple of pressure acts a game from that - which should be replaced by Butler, Rioli and Castagna being only babies in footy terms and should continue to improve.

 

[BoxMatrix]

Richmond will lose a bunch of mid-tier players as a result of salary cap constraints. Nearly half their salary cap is taken by six players.

 

[Scotland]

Lynch is 26, Riewoldt, Houli, Grigg, Edwards all 30.

I would imagine that Lynch's contract would be back ended to when these guys are 32+. So cap space would open up plus there's no guarantee Riewoldt will maintain 2018 form into his 30s. Josh Kennedy looked unstoppable at 29/30 but at 31 is already showing signs of his body failing him.

I would also imagine that Hardwick and co don't plan on doing the same thing every year for eternity. The one main target and heavy forward pressure setup worked in 2017, but by 2019 or 2020 the next trend might be to have multiple talls.

 

[Anja_Nees]

Brilliant move by Hardwick to tank the a*** out of 2016 and kill players’ salaries long enough to make this happen.

 

[Taylor]

The big shock will be when he accepts $800,000 a year at Richmond and the AFL tries to sell that as being top 5% in his age group to give the Suns pick #3.

 

[Heisenberg_]

No, he won't be.

He will be on less, take it to the bank.

 

[Wacko23Jacko]

Even without the AFLs brave quest to make the game more about scoring and power forwards it’s a good move.

It’s been obvious this year we’ve lost potency. I’m pretty sure our scores from i50 % has dropped from last year. This is partly due to missing Rioli and now butler but also from Townsend being found out and less effective. We need a genuine tall marking target to increase our potency. Riewoldt has been playing deeper at times this year due to necessity and while he has a Coleman and more attention this year his the value are his footy smarts and ability to assist his team mates and utilise space and players in our forward half.

Lynch will also provide a genuine marking target down the line and a ruck option i50 so Nankervis can roam the centre and back half.

 

[bradrowe#32]

Kevin Durant.

 

[TheSunGod]

Poor buggars can't take a contested mark up forward with all those short people. So nice of us to pass on Lynchy to help them out on that front.

 

[HTPunter]

The big shock will be when he accepts $800,000 a year at Richmond and the AFL tries to sell that as being top 5% in his age group to give the Suns pick #3.

Interesting.

Approx 25 players in that (from 2017 numbers) - Boyd, Kelly, Cripps would be the 3 that come to mind under 25 years old.

So he'd be in the top 22 of how many out of 25+? Surely wouldn't be top 5% from that? 440 players is 24 per club which is way over the number of 25+ year olds going about..

 

[Eternal Schism]

Sydney Lance Franklin MKII - just that Richmond didn't pick up the first of two KPP after a flag this year. Both sides relied on tackling, defence and strong pressure and Sydney fundamentally changed their game plan when going forward to accommodate how to structure with Tippet and Franklin.