Prized Richmond recruit Tom Lynch will wear the number 19 guernsey at his new football home.
This is the same number that Lynch had throughout the vast majority of his eight-season career with the Gold Coast Suns, and he’s pleased to have the opportunity to continue wearing it, on the back of the famous Yellow and Black guernsey.
“I’ll have 19, which is nice,” Lynch told ‘Roar Vision’.
“It’s only a number, at the end of the day, but it makes it easier just keeping the same number. It’s a nice fit.”
The No. 19 jumper has somewhat of a chequered history at Tigerland.
Dependable defender Greg Strachan holds the Richmond record for the most games in the No. 19 – 154 from 1978-1987, including the 1980 Grand Final demolition of Collingwood.
Other distinguished Tiger No. 19s were Geoff Spring, a clever wingman, who won the Club’s Best and Fairest in 1949 and played 147 games from 1948-1957, Jack Symons, a strong utility, who played 111 games from 1934-1944, including the 1940 and 1942 Grand Final losses, and Dick Grimmond, a consistent wingman, who played 102 games from 1959-1964.
A series of players from other league clubs had relatively short stints at Richmond in the No. 19 – the likes of Mark Neeld (ex-Geelong, 26 games, 1994-1996,), Steven Sziller (ex-St Kilda, 38 games, 2001-2002), Tim Fleming (ex-Carlton, 34 games, 2003-2004) and, most recently Matt Thomas (ex-Port Adelaide, 15 games, 2014-2015).
Forward Brett Evans, affectionately known as ‘The Birdman’ had a cult following among the Tiger Army, wearing the number in 28 games from 1997-2000, and talented left-footer Daniel Connors put together 19 games in the No. 19 from 2010-2012.
Glynn Hewitt, the father of Australian tennis great Lleyton, wore No. 19 in 15 senior games during his two seasons with Richmond from 1973-1974, after being recruited from SANFL club West Adelaide, where he had been a star forward.
