TOM Lynch is not only one of the best players in the competition, but statistics tell us he now sits comfortably alongside the three greatest centre half-forwards of the modern era.
Through the first 100 games of their careers, Lynch, who vaults into the AFL Players' Top 50 at No.14, loses no ground to Dermott Brereton, Wayne Carey and Jonathan Brown, other than in finals experience.
• Who's next? Check out the rest of the AFL Players' Top 50 as they are revealed
He's no longer a young man on the rise – the greats themselves agree where Lynch sits among today's forwards.
He's the best.
In the past six months alone, Brereton and Brown have both claimed the Gold Coast co-captain is the number one spearhead in today's game.
It's no knock on the likes of Lance Franklin or Josh Kennedy, but at 24 Lynch is entering his prime and already has some great numbers alongside his name.
Tom Lynch v the greats after 100 games
Brereton | Brown | Carey | Lynch | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |  |  |  | |
Goals | 210 | 146 | 244 | 187 |
Marks | 550 | 624 | 682 | 591 |
Disposals | 1465 | 1392 | 1628 | 1430 |
Finals | 15 | 15 | 3 | 0 |
Flags | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Lynch is a contested marking colossus and was within range of winning last year's Coleman Medal until late in the season, despite his team winning just six games and supplying precious few inside 50s.
"(Lynch) is the best player in the comp,” Brereton recently told Melbourne radio station SEN.
"If you gave me an open chequebook and said, 'Start a club, who do you want to buy first?', Tom Lynch is my number one target, bar none.
"He works the hardest out of every key forward, he has the best hands.
"He is a bit robotic in his kicking nature but he runs hard, works hard, he’s aggressive and just marks anything above head height in his area."
It's high praise from a five-time premiership player.
Lynch takes another contested grab in front of All Australian defender Alex Rance. Picture: AFL Photos
Brown has seen Lynch up close for most of his career and has always been a fan.
"I just really enjoy watching his footy," Brown told AFL.com.au last year.
"He's a lot more athletic, he's taller than I am, so I'd say he's got more strings to his bow than I do. I always loved his aggression.
"Tom Lynch is to me the best all around key forward in the competition currently."
- Michael Whiting
15. Josh Kennedy
West Coast
Forward
Last year's ranking: 15
Official AFL Player Rating: 38
Debut: 2008
Games: 188
AFL Fantasy value: $536,000
West Coast struggled to hit the same peaks as 2015, but Kennedy became even more lethal as he secured back-to-back Coleman Medals last season. The star forward booted 82 goals from 23 games – eclipsing his 2015 mark by two goals from two fewer games – and improved his accuracy from 55 to 60 per cent. Kennedy opened his account with a bag of eight in round one against the Brisbane Lions, booted seven goals twice and kicked at least one major in every game in another remarkable campaign. He holds his position in his peers' estimation of the League's best players, finishing 15th in the AFL Players' Top 50 for the second consecutive year.
14. Tom Lynch
Gold Coast
Forward
Last year's ranking: -
Official AFL Player Rating: 25
Debut: 2011
Games: 102
AFL Fantasy value: $520,000
13. Dan Hannebery
Sydney Swans
Midfielder
Last year's ranking: 14
Official AFL Player Rating: 15
Debut: 2009
Games: 170
AFL Fantasy value: $655,000
Who else made the cut in the AFL Players' Top 50?
• 50-41: Tough-as-nail Demon's time arrives
• 40-36: Magpie Treloar soars in the spotlight
• 35-31: What rising Blue Patrick Cripps still needs to improve
• 30-26: Baby Bomber Zach Merrett's next challenge
• 25-21: Who is the Giants' most valuable player?
• 20-16: The day Max Gawn became invincible
Who's next?
• Check out the rest of the AFL Players' Top 50 as they are revealed
• Breakout stars: The players name the seven most likely to explode
• The players pick the teams set to plummet
• Who topped the count in 2016?
