Tom Lynch has won his first Showdown Medal after a stellar six-goal haul against Port Adelaide in Showdown XL.
The hard-working forward starred in Adelaide's 58-point win over the Power on Saturday afternoon, collecting 21 possessions and eight marks and finished as the leading goalkicker on the ground.
He was adjudged best afield by five of the seven experts on the Showdown Medal voting panel and was two votes shy of a perfect score.
The AFL's leading player for score assists last season, Lynch also brought many of his teammates into the game with his team-first play and pinpoint passing.
The 25-year-old Crow praised his fellow forwards for helping him to kick the second-biggest score of his 62-game career on Saturday.
“I’m extremely lucky to play in such an unselfish forward line,” Lynch said after the game.
“Those guys like Eddie (Betts), Tex (Walker) and Josh (Jenkins), were all super today. Mitch (McGovern) and Wayno (Milera) were also fantastic. They were good for us the whole pre-season … and they bring great energy.”
The Crows forwards had a day out against the Power.
Eddie Betts (five) and Josh Jenkins (four) also kicked bags of goals, while captain Taylor Walker and second-gamer Mitch McGovern finished with two each, as an accurate Adelaide equalled it’s highest-ever score 22.12 (144) against Port Adelaide.
Much of the winning team’s attack was generated from defence. Lynch said his teammates deserved credit for their bold style of play.
“We (forwards) are dictated by how the ball movement up the field is and we thought the midfielders and defenders were very brave in the way they moved the ball,” Lynch said.
“Our defenders and midfielders were able to move the ball and get it inside the corridor to be able to let Eddie and ‘JJ’ and ‘Tex’ to get out the back.”
Adelaide’s leading possession-getter, Rory Laird, finished second in the Showdown Medal voting. Laird, who polled 10 votes, attracted votes from all but one panellist.
Betts ranked third with eight votes, including one best afield. Scott Thompson (three votes) and Port Adelaide’s Robbie Gray (two) were the remaining vote-getters.
Showdown Medal final voting
Tom Lynch – 19
Rory Laird – 10
Eddie Betts – 8
Scott Thompson – 3
Robbie Gray - 2
