Star key forward Tom Lynch was a valuable contributor for Richmond in the first final of his nine-year AFL career, against Brisbane at the Gabba last night.
Lynch had 12 disposals, with 10 contested possessions, four inside-50s, six score involvements, took six marks and kicked two goals in the Tigers’ 47-point win.
Post-match, Lynch provided an insight into his long-awaited finals debut in an interview with Channel Seven.
“It was great to play tonight . . . it was a pretty amazing atmosphere out there . . . It is a bit quicker, a bit more physical, but we focused on that it’s going to be pretty similar to home-and-away,” Lynch said.
“We knew it was going to be a massive challenge up here, Brisbane. . . they’d only lost one game.
“Obviously they started well, and it was good to arrest that in the second quarter and have a really strong second half.
“So it’s great, but obviously we’ve got the prelim in a couple of weeks.”
Lynch, with 56 goals, has now become the highest goalscorer from a rival league club in his first season for Richmond.
Ricky McLean previously held that goalkicking record at Tigerland, with the 55 goals he booted as the team’s full-forward in 1972 after transferring from Carlton.