Tom Lynch’s start to his goalkicking life at Tigerland stacks up extremely well from a Yellow and Black historical perspective.
The star key forward has kicked three goals in each of his first two games with the Tigers (v Carlton, Round 1 and v Collingwood, Round 2) for a combined total of six.
That is the equal highest number of goals scored by a Richmond recruit from a rival league club, in their opening couple of matches for the Tigers, since 1965.
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Former Collingwood player Mick Erwin booted three goals on debut for Richmond against North Melbourne at the MCG in Round 7 of the ’65 season, and followed it up with another haul of three in the Round 8 clash with Fitzroy at the ‘G’.
Erwin finished with 32 goals in 12 games all-up with the Tigers that season.
Seven years later, rugged ex-Carlton full-forward Ricky McLean kicked four goals in his first game as a Tiger, against Collingwood at the MCG in the opening round of the 1972 season, and then two goals in Round 2 against Geelong at Kardinia Park.
McLean ended up being Richmond’s equal-leading goalkicker in 1972 with 55 goals.
Champion Tiger key forward Jack Riewoldt, winner of the Club’s leading goalkicker award for the past nine years in-a-row, only once during that time has had more goals on the board after the opening two rounds of a season than what Lynch has now registered.
That occurred in 2013, when Riewoldt, who was held goalless in the season-opener against Carlton, produced a superb, seven-goal display in Round 2 against St Kilda at the MCG.
Of course, what makes Lynch’s performance in the opening two rounds of the 2019 season even more meritorious, is the fact that he’s come off a restricted pre-season, recovering from a knee injury.