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Richmond star Tom Lynch has avoided a suspension at the AFL tribunal despite a bump which left Bulldogs defender Alex Keath concussed in a marking contest.
Lynch was sent straight to the tribunal by the AFL’s match review officer Michael Christian after a clash which forced Keath off the ground in the Tigers’ five-point loss to the Bulldogs on Saturday.
Despite the bump initially being graded by the MRO as careless conduct with high contact and severe impact, which would’ve resulted in a ban of at least three weeks, Richmond was able to successfully argue that Lynch’s collision with Keath did not constitute rough conduct.
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The AFL argued that Lynch had made a conscious decision to bump Keath in the marking contest, saying “it was clear he wasn’t going to get to the ball”.
However, Richmond argued that Lynch instead braced for contact rather than choosing to bump Keath.
“At the very last moment … I realised I misjudged the ball flight and ran under the football,” Lynch told the tribunal.
“I was jumping off my left foot and it was too late to stop.
“I rotated my body … if I didn’t, I would have had contact through my chest and would have put me in a vulnerable position.
“I’m just protecting myself from incoming impact.”
After hearing close to 70 minutes of evidence, the tribunal agreed with the Richmond forward’s argument, with tribunal chairman Jeff Gleeson saying the Tigers forward kept his eyes on the ball before bracing for contact.
Lynch was one of two star forwards to be exonerated at the tribunal, with Carlton forward Harry McKay having a one-match suspension overturned for a bump on Kangaroos young gun Harry Sheezel.
The tribunal heard 90 minutes of evidence as McKay argued that his action was a push rather than a strike, with the evidence followed by another half an hour of deliberation.
Eventually the tribunal downgraded the impact of McKay’s hit on Sheezel from medium to low, resulting in a fine for the Carlton star.
While the tribunal backflip will allow McKay to line up for the Blues on Thursday, Lynch is set to miss up to three months after breaking his foot against the Bulldogs.
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