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EIGHTIES TASMANIAN FOOTBALL LEGENDS
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Alastair Lynch is a champion key position utility player, a former co-captain of the Lions, and one of the AFL's truly elite players at his best, who retired
after playing his 17th AFL season in 2004. He achieved his goals of playing
in a premiership not once but three times with the mighty Brisbane Lions,
team widely regarded as the best of all time.
Brisbane beat Essendon in 2001, Collingwood in 2002, and Collingwood again
in 2003. The team made it to a fourth consecutive
grand final in 2004 but lost to South Australian side Port Power. Lynch
retired immediately after the game. |
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Alastair Graeme Lynch was born on the 19th June 1968 in Burnie on the Tasmanian north-west coast. He was a product of Burnie High School and played U17s and U19s at nearby Wynyard before joining Hobart in 1986-87. There, he was coached by the legendary Peter Hudson
, who was a close friend and former Tasmanian junior teammate of his father Graeme "Grunter" Lynch. He missed Tasmanian Teal Cup (U17) selection but turned out to be a bargain pick-up for Fitzroy at No 50 in the 1988 AFL National Draft where, between 1988-93, he played 120 games and kicked 173 goals.
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Lynch joined the Lions in 1988 and in six years played 120 of a possible 130 games. Equally at home in attack and defence, with blistering pace, enormous strength and the athletic capability of matching anyone in the game, he won the 1991 AFL "Mark of the Year", was Fitzroy vice-captain 1991-92-93, Runner-Up in the Lions B&F in 1991, and 3rd in 1992. Then, in a sensational 1993, he was a runaway winner of the Fitzroy B&F, topped the club’s goal-kicking list, was vice-captain of the Tasmanian State of Origin side, won All-Australian selection at fullback, and was rated by award-winning Herald Sun football writer Mike Sheahan among the top five players in the game.
Still, frustrated by Fitzroy’s on-going financial problems and the lack of reasonable expectation that he would fulfil his life-long dream of playing in the AFL finals in the near future, he joined Brisbane in what was the AFL recruiting coup of the 1993-94 summer. Sadly, he played just 13 games in his first season with the Bears due to two broken collarbones and knee surgery, but even then he stamped his undeniable class on what at the time was an emerging side in the AFL with a string of match-winning performances at centre half forward.
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In September 1994 he contracted a mystery virus that, after a prolonged period was eventually diagnosed as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Barely able to get out of bed at times, frustrated as much by the medical profession’s inability to treat this shocking illness as the condition itself, he missed the 1995 season. Inadvertently, the ever-compassionate Lynch became a flagship for the growing CFS community, helping via his national profile to attract attention and thereby give credibility to the illness.
He made an inspirational comeback to football in 1996 to provide a further shining light for all CFS patients, and although still not 100%, he played 18 of a possible 25 games, was the club's leading goal-kicker and finished 10th in the Club Champion Award.
The historic Bears-Fitzroy merger brought together his two AFL clubs, and not inappropriately he was appointed co-captain with Michael Voss of the “new” club for their 1997 entry to the AFL following the retirement of Brisbane stalwart Roger
Merrett.
He suffered something of a CFS relapse early in the 1997 season, but with sensible management of his training routine and continued hard work he overcame yet another hurdle. One-third of the way through the season he reverted from full forward to his former role at fullback, quickly slotting into the key defensive post, and towards the end of the year showed signs of the Alastair Lynch of old to grab 10th spot in the Club Champion Award. He was the club’s best performer in a finals campaign which ended in week one, and, with long-time teammate Scott McIvor, was rewarded for his service with Life Membership.
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At last in 1998 he felt he had his CFS under control. Still, he wasn’t quite 100%, but with close management he could do most of the training. But, in the week of the first premiership game, he learned he had a stress fracture in his lower back. Given the option of three months’ rest, he opted to play with a condition kept secret throughout the year.
Then, with the season barely under way, he ran into further strife. He learned via outside sources that DHEA, a substance he had been prescribed for his
CFS, had been added to the IOC list of banned substances. He immediately took his situation to the AFL, volunteering this information despite having never tested positive under the AFL’s extensive random drug testing program. But, despite having been given permission to take DHEA by the Australian Sports Drug Agency, the official AFL drug agents, he was subsequently charged by the AFL with taking a prohibited substance.
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So began a case which attracted massive national media attention, but after almost 20 hours of tribunal evidence spread over four hearings and three weeks, Lynch was cleared by the AFL tribunal. The case had taken an almighty toll on all involved, with his very career on the line, but throughout the ordeal he won huge commendation for the manner in which he conducted himself.
He played only 15 of 22 games in 1998 and three times was off the ground with back-related hamstring problems before quarter-time, but still he was 2nd in the Club Champion vote-count until Round 22 and finished a close 5th overall. He polled votes in every one of the games he finished and was a stand-out player in a very disappointing Lions campaign, and a fine leader who was prepared to do whatever possible to better the young Lions side. Sadly, a hamstring tear in Round 15 cost him his first opportunity to play with the Allies State of Origin side in 1998 and effectively ended his season. His Round 21 comeback lasted barely 10 minutes, and he didn’t play again.
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He suffered a similar CFS relapse in the hot weather of February ’99 which kept
him out of the first two games of the premiership season, and then, just
when he was ready to resume, a hamstring problem sidelined him for a further
month.
He kicked the first and last goals of his 200th AFL game against Melbourne at the MCG in Round 21, and skippered the Lions solo in the finals after co-captain Michael Voss went down with an ankle problem 15 minutes into the first final against Carlton.
Married in October 1995 to long-term girlfriend Peta, he became a father on 19th September 1997 with the birth of daughter Madison, and son Tom was born in May 2000. Formerly a marketing officer at Coca-Cola, he resigned mid-1995 to concentrate on regaining his health and since then has been a professional footballer. Also a part-time "celebrity reporter" with Channel Seven and weekly radio guest on the B105 FM “Morning Crew” in Brisbane and the ever-popular “Coodabeen Champions” in Melbourne.
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The veteran full-forward shelved retirement plans in September 2000 to commit to his 14th AFL season after a career best 68 goals in 2000 placed him fifth in the AFL. Not since moving from Fitzroy to the Brisbane Bears in 1994
was this five-star athlete at his best, and the football world yearned for opportunities to see him free of injury and distraction in his twilight years after twin collarbone fractures in 1994, a career-threatening battle with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in 1995-97 and a stress fracture of his lower back in 1998, among other disruptions.
Indeed, it was a credit to Lynch’s professionalism, perseverance and sheer class
when he formed a dynamic partnership with Luke Power and Daniel Bradshaw in 2000, where the trio became only the 10th
players in history to kick 50 goals or more in a season for the same club.
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How fitting it was … when the final siren sounded and the Lions had broken through for a Grand Final win it was Alastair Lynch who had the football in his hands. He held it aloft triumphantly in a gesture so totally deserved for a wonderful player who has fought more than his share of adversity to
savour that moment of a lifetime. Coming off his best preparation since he contracted Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in 1995, he had a real standout year and, despite spending some time in defence when match-ups required it, he finished second in AFL goal-kicking behind Matthew Lloyd with a season tally of 58. Took AFL ‘mark of the week’ in Round 1 and celebrated a huge career highlight on 3 May, when he was chosen as the
youngest member of the Fitzroy Team of the Century. Posted his 400th AFL goal against Adelaide in Round 9, and a club record and equal career best eight goals against Melbourne in Round 12. Missed the Round 21 visit to Geelong after he pulled up 'a little dusty' following the Round 20 trip to Perth, ending a streak of 36 consecutive games, but returned against Sydney in Round 22. Missed the preliminary final after being suspended for one match after being reported for striking Darryl Wakelin in the qualifying final against Port Adelaide, and was the most relieved man in the world when the Lions qualified for the grand final. It was his 249th AFL game, and saw him jump to third spot on the 'most games played before a
premiership' list. Marcus Ashcroft, in his 268th game, heads this list from Greg Wells (256th game), Lynch, Tony Shaw (246th), John Rantall (244th), Stan Alves (242nd) and Lou Richards (226th). And it was no ordinary Grand Final for the Lions oldest player. He was supreme overhead, and if he’d kicked straight in blustery conditions instead of his 2-4 would have been a leading contender for the Norm Smith Medal. He confirmed immediately after the game that he
would play again in 2002.
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CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
6th Fitzroy B&F 1990, R-Up 1991, Equal 3rd 1992, Winner 1993, 8th Bears B&F 1994, 10th 1996, 10th Lions B&F 1997, 5th 1998, All-Australian 1993, AFL Mark of the Year 1991, Equal No.7 AFL goal-kicker 1993, No.4 AFL goal-kicker 2000, Fitzroy Leading Goal-Kicker 1993, Bears No.2 Goal-Kicker 1994, Leading Goal Kicker 1996 & 2000, Lions No.3 Goal-Kicker 1999, Tasmanian State of Origin Representative 1988-89-90-91-92-93, (Vice-Captain 1993), Member Lions’ Ansett Cup New Zealand Tour Party 2001, Member Lions’ Ansett Cup Grand Final Side 2001, Fitzroy Vice-Captain 1991-92-93, Bears Vice-Captain 1994-95-96, Lions Co-Captain 1997-98-99-00, Lions Life Member 1997,
Member Fitzroy Team of Fifty Years (1944-93), Member Fitzroy Team of the Century (1897-1996),
Member of 3 time premiership side Brisbane Lions 2001,2002, 2003.
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Alastair Lynch - A Tasmanian Football Legend
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