RICHMOND veteran Tom Lynch has been sent directly to the Tribunal for his wild swing that collected Adelaide defender Jordon Butts on Sunday afternoon.
The Tigers forward had a frustrating opening half at the MCG and gave away more free kicks (five) than he had disposals (zero), including a roundhouse punch at Butts just before half-time that led to a scuffle with several Crows players.
While Lynch did not properly connect with his hit on Butts, the Match Review Officer has graded the incident intentional conduct, severe impact and high contact and sent him straight to the Tribunal on Tuesday night.
Lynch was also cited for two others incidents in the first half, including a charge of striking Butts earlier in the second term, which has triggered a $1500 fine that can be reduced to $1000 with an early guilty plea.
The veteran was also fined $3125 - which can be reduced to $1875 with an early plea - for getting into a melee with Butts in the first quarter.
Port Adelaide champion Kane Cornes was scathing of the incident on Sunday night, saying Lynch "lost the plot" and should consider retirement at the end of the season.
"He had a complete meltdown and absolutely lost the plot," Cornes said on AFL.com.au's First Up.
"The frustration boiled over that he did something on a football field ... that we all can't accept in our game.
"Considering what this club has been through with Noah Balta, to see that happen on a footy field in 2025 is ridiculous.
"A month ago I said it looked the end for Tom Lynch and I'm even more certain of that today with the way he's moving, how frustrated he is and what a poor leader he's been for a young group."
