Tom Lynch has been rewarded for his career best form with a new three-year deal.
Lynch, 24, ignored interstate offers to put pen to paper on a new contract with Adelaide, which will see him remain at the Club until at least the end of 2018.
The hard-running forward has become a key part of the Crows attack. He’s kicked 27 goals this season – ranked fourth at the Club – and leads the AFL in both goal (28) and score (43) assists. He’s also top 10 in the competition for marks.
Despite rival interest in his home state of Victoria, Lynch said he always wanted to stay a Crow.
“It’s very exciting. My focus, at the minute, is solely on our finals campaign coming up, so it’s nice to get this out of the way and know that I’m here and an Adelaide Crow for the next three years,” Lynch said on Tuesday.
“I’ve got a young family – a little two-year-old boy Koby, who is everything to us. My partner Courtney and I have been weighing up that decision, but I’m happy to stay at the Club – the intention was always to stay here at the Adelaide Crows.
“I’m just rapt that we could get it done because we love it here in Adelaide.”
After an injury-interrupted start to his career, Lynch has played a personal best 20 games this year.
He’s averaging a career-best 19 possessions and seven marks. The Crows link man, who has played a total of 57 games including 51 for Adelaide, said he was benefiting from the continuity in training and matches.
“I’ve missed a few games through injury, which has been quite well documented, but I’m enjoying having a consistent year this year in terms of continuity,” he said.
“I’m just looking to play my role. (Forward line coach) David Teague has just been super for me this year, giving me that confidence and helping me improve my game. I owe a lot of it to him.
“I’m loving being part of the team each weekend, so hopefully we can have a good end to the year and my footy can continue to improve as well.”
Head of Football David Noble said Lynch, who joined the Crows from St Kilda ahead of the 2012 season, was having an impressive year.
“Tom is a hard-working forward who has become an important link player between defence and attack,” Noble said.
“He has worked hard to get his body right and play consistent football this season.
“The fact Tom leads the AFL for goal assists this year shows he is always looking to bring other players into the game and fits well into the Club’s team-first environment.”
Lynch follows Rory Sloane, Sam Jacobs, Richard Douglas, Rory Laird, Luke Brown, Jake Lever, Charlie Cameron, Jake Kelly, Kyle Hartigan, Riley Knight and Reilly O’Brien in signing on this season.
Lynch said the players had bought into the strong culture at the Club.
“We’ve got a great playing group and great coaching staff. We’re a very hard-working Club,” he said.
“The elite standards especially over the last 12 months have just grown immensely. Everyone is driving each other to get better and it’s just a great environment to be around.”
