‘What’s the point of being half pregnant?’ Tigers urged to put Lynch on trade table as gun signs huge extension

Kangaroos legend David King has called for Richmond to embrace an all-out rebuild and add Tom Lynch to its host of stars on the trade table.

The Tigers are among the busiest teams this trade period, with Jack Graham, Liam Baker (to West Coast), Shai Bolton (Fremantle) and Daniel Rioli (Gold Coast) all on the move in an exodus set to land Richmond a plethora of draft picks.

It comes as Noah Balta has recommitted to the Tigers on a seven-year deal until 2032, joining GWS’ Sam Taylor, Western Bulldogs’ Aaron Naughton, Port Adelaide’s Connor Rozee and St Kilda’s Max King in having the longest contract in the AFL.

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But while Balta is locked into the Punt Road rebuild under Adem Yze, King thinks the Tigers should extract trade value for Lynch, who turns 32 later this month and has been marred by injuries in recent years, while they can.

“You talk about Baker, Graham, Bolton and Rioli (set to depart), I would add Lynch to that discussion,” King said on Fox Footy’s Trading Day.

“If the Sydney Swans or Melbourne were interested in giving something of quality — something around (pick) 15 to 22, would you look at that?

“If you’re going to get rid of them, what’s the point of being half pregnant? You either go one way or the other.”

Four-time premiership Hawk Jordan Lewis agreed that Richmond should be open to trading Lynch if it could get a top 25 pick back.

Lewis ultimately thinks the club is well placed overall, declaring “give me this type of scenario with any of the bottom teams,” despite conceding Yze’s side was in for some pain for the interim.

“You’ve got an influx of players and the ability to get players out and a whole heap of first-round draft picks ready to go. I think they’re in a brilliant position to bounce back really quickly than the norm,” he said.

“I think sides sit in that eight to 13 (range) for far too long, then they decide to cut.

“I think Richmond is in a fantastic position to really go after the draft and go after the next five years.

“If you can get a (pick) 15 to 25 for Tom Lynch, absolutely.”

The prospect of moving Lynch was disputed by Herald Sun reporter Jay Clark, who questioned how it’d impact the Tigers culturally.

“Don’t you culturally need some older bulls in the paddock? Otherwise, the younger crew, where are they listening and learning from?,” Clark posed on Trading Day.

“If you’ve got Graham, Baker, Rioli and Bolton out the door … (Tim) Taranto and (Jacob) Hopper as the losses mount next year are looking around asking: ‘Why am I here for?’

“Isn’t Tom Lynch someone who’s crucial culturally?”

Asked if he was worried about Lynch’s body, King said: “Make him someone else’s problem.

“Look at Sydney, where did they run the ground in the grand final? What have they learned about that forward half?

“The bit three in the forward half didn’t work, they didn’t fire at all.

“I think John Longmire would be saying: ‘OK, maybe we have to do something’. Maybe they have to take a risk.

“If (Chad) Warner is to leave, next year is the year. They’d be thinking: ‘Gee, is this our last real tilt at it with this midfield and this group?’ Maybe it’s worth it.”