Latest news with #JordonButts
ABC News
21 hours ago
- Sport
- ABC News
AFL star Tom Lynch banned for five weeks over 'bygone era' hit on Jordon Butts
Richmond forward Tom Lynch has been suspended for five matches for a strike described by the AFL as a throwback to a "bygone era". The 32-year-old's ban is the longest this season, eclipsing the four-game stretch handed to Hawthorn's Conor Nash in April for striking. Lynch failed to convince the AFL tribunal on Tuesday night to reduce the grading of the impact of his blow, which felled Adelaide's Jordon Butts on Saturday at the MCG. Lynch's strike was graded as severe impact, intentional conduct and high contact by the AFL's match review officer Michael Christian. The dual premiership player's counsel Sam Tovey argued the impact should have been graded as medium or high, while accepting the other gradings. "I contested the mark, felt like Butts was holding on to me … I swung my arm around to get him off me," Lynch told the tribunal. "Absolutely I got it wrong and it was the wrong thing to do." Lynch denied hitting Butts with a clenched right fist as he can't fully bend the middle finger on that hand since the middle knuckle was fused in a 2020 operation. "I can't bend my middle finger so I can't fully form a clenched fist," he said. "It was more a swipe to get him off me." Lynch apologised to Butts post-game. "I walked over, shook his hand, and apologised and wished him all the best for the season," he said. "I got it wrong. I told him that he certainly beat me today and he seemed fine." The AFL's counsel Nick Pane KC said Lynch's strike was "the type of action from a bygone era". "There is no place for it in our game," Pane said. It was largely irrelevant whether Lynch's right hand formed a clenched fist, was partially clenched, or cupped, he said. "In any event … when it's delivered with significant force, it has the potential to cause injury," Pane said. "It's more good luck than good management that flusher contact wasn't made and that injury wasn't sustained." Despite Butts continuing to play unhurt, Pane called for a five-game suspension. But Lynch's counsel Tovey argued the strike should have been graded as medium impact, resulting in a two-match ban. "The worst that could have happened, largely did happen," Tovey said. After an 80-minute hearing, tribunal chairman Jeff Gleeson KC and panel members David Neitz and Jordan Bannister deliberated for about 50 minutes. "This was what we regard as a serious intentional action with the potential to cause serious injury," Gleeson said. "When we consider the totality of the matters, including the fact that Lynch clearly formed an intent to strike Butts … we find that a significant sanction is warranted." Separately, Lynch accepted a $1,000 fine for striking Butts in a separate second-term clash. He also accepted a $1,875 fine for engaging in a melee from an incident in the first quarter also involving Butts. Butts was also charged with engaging in a melee from the first-term incident but has challenged his fine via written submission, with a verdict expected on Wednesday. AAP
News.com.au
a day ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Tom Lynch learns his fate at AFL Tribunal over brutal haymaker
Richmond forward Tom Lynch has been slapped with a five-week suspension following a lengthy hearing at the AFL Tribunal. Lynch found himself in the spotlight of the AFL after he was hit with a striking charge after an incident with Adelaide defender Jordon Butts on Sunday. The 32-year-old Tigers star was not enjoying the close attention of Butts and late in the first quarter he lashed out after a marking contest, turning and whacking the Crows player across the face/head area, prompting him to fall to the turf in pain. The umpire blew a free kick and Lynch engaged in some further argy bargy with Crows players. The Tigers had attempted to argue that the incident was high impact, not severe as had been noted. They stated it was also not done with a closed fist with images shown to the Tribunal that Lynch was unable to make a closed fist due to a permanently fused joint on the middle finger on his right hand. 'Nowhere on the footage is there clear evidence of a clenched fist, particularly at the point of impact,' Sam Tovey said in Lynch's defence. 'In order to uphold a 'severe' grading, the Tribunal would need to be clearly satisfied contact was made with a fully clenched fist.' Lynch said he had not swung a punch at Butts, instead it was a swiping motion. Despite this the AFL said regardless of it was a closed fist or not, the force of the swing had potential to cause injury. 'It's a blatant, forceful swinging arm ... it was the type of action of a bygone era. The AFL position is quite simple, there's no place for it in our game,' the AFL's Nick Pane said. Lynch addressed the ugly incident shortly after the Tigers lost to the Crows, speaking to Channel 7. 'I didn't want to cause harm or anything like that, I was just trying to get free and the frustration came out,' he said. 'I gave away too many free kicks and was not good enough as a leader; said at halftime sorry boys, thought we were playing pretty well in that second quarter and it pretty much stopped the momentum. 'I was just more frustrated with how he was defending me, I thought. And clearly it was within the rules because there were no free kicks awarded to me and I went outside the rules. I've got to be better.' The Tigers forward will now miss matches against Geelong, Essendon, West Coast, Collingwood and Gold Coast.
ABC News
2 days ago
- Sport
- ABC News
Richmond star Tom Lynch sent directly to AFL Tribunal after strike on Jordon Butts
Richmond forward Tom Lynch is facing a lengthy suspension after being referred directly to the AFL Tribunal for his strike on Adelaide's Jordon Butts. Lynch's second-quarter blow to Butts's head was graded as intentional conduct with severe impact and high contact by the AFL's Match Review Officer, Michael Christian. An early plea is not available to the 32-year-old, who will face the Tribunal on Tuesday night. Lynch was also handed a pair of fines for two separate incidents that took place in Richmond's 68-point loss to Adelaide at the MCG on Sunday. He was offered $3,125 for engaging in a melee/wrestle and $1,500 for striking. The fines can be reduced to $1,875 and $1,000, respectively, if Lynch takes an early plea. Lynch has previously denied suggestions he is overzealous with his on-field aggression, due to only being suspended for a total of two weeks since making his debut in 2011. That total is now likely to be doubled at the very least. Despite his lack of previous suspensions, Lynch has toed the line on numerous occasions throughout his career and is no stranger to a Tribunal hearing. Lynch faced the Tribunal earlier this season in a bid to have a one-match suspension overturned for a high hit on Carlton's Tom De Koning, but was unsuccessful. He was sent directly to the Tribunal in 2023 after a collision with then-Bulldogs defender Alex Keath, an incident that left Keath concussed, but had the rough conduct charge dismissed. The Tribunal also cleared Lynch of striking Essendon's Michael Hurley during a match in 2020. Richmond coach Adem Yze revealed Lynch apologised to his teammates after giving away five free kicks in the first half of the loss to the Crows, and Lynch admitted he was frustrated by the amount of contact Adelaide's defenders had gotten away with. "I was just more frustrated with how he was defending me, I thought," Lynch told Channel 7. "Clearly it [Butts's actions] was within the rules because there were no free kicks awarded to me and I went outside the rules. "I've got to be better."
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Frustrated Tigers star Lynch facing ban for wild swing
Fiery Richmond spearhead Tom Lynch is staring at a lengthy suspension after taking an ugly swing at Adelaide defender Jordon Butts at the MCG. Lynch lost the plot in the second quarter of the Tigers' match against the Crows on Sunday, striking Butts off the ball following a contest between the pair. The dual Tigers premiership player viciously threw his right hand towards his opponent, making contact with Butts' head. Tensions rise following this incident involving Tom Lynch and Jordon Butts.#AFLTigersCrows — AFL (@AFL) June 29, 2025 Fortunately for both players, Lynch failed to connect completely, ensuring the blow was minor. Crows players ran to remonstrate with Lynch near Richmond's half-forward flank, with the 32-year-old reported by umpires on the spot. Although Butts was not injured in the incident, match review officer Michael Christian will likely take a dim view of the behaviour. It is rare for AFL players in the modern era to launch into a strike with such intent and ferocity. It completed a horror half for Lynch, who failed to register a disposal, but gave away five free kicks. Only minutes before the incident with Butts, Lynch was angrily arguing with umpires about one of the free kicks he had given away.
