Quinten Lynch

Infobox afl player


firstname = Quinten
lastname = Lynch
nickname = The Big Q
| birthdate = birth date and age|1983|1|24|df=y
birthplace =
originalteam = West Perth Football Club (WAFL)
heightweight = 194cm / 104kg
dead = alive
deathdate =
deathplace =
debutdate = Round 12, 15 June 2002
debutteam = West Coast Eagles
debutopponent = Carlton
debutstadium = Optus Oval
playingteams = West Coast Eagles (2002-)
124 games, 191 goals
coach = notcoach
coachingteams =
statsend = Rd 18, 2008
careerhighlights =
*West Coast Eagles leading goalkicker, 2006, 2007
*Premiership player, 2006

Quinten Lynch (born 24 January 1983) is a West Coast Eagles Australian rules footballer. He mainly plays at full forward and centre half forward, and is a regular goal-kicker.

Career

Originally from Grass Patch near Esperance in the south east of Western Australia, Lynch went to school at Aquinas College, Perth, where he was captain of the First XVIII team that won the Alcock Cup, and also rowed in the school's First VIII. [cite news |first=Scott |last=Gullan |authorlink= |coauthors= |title=Eagles hopes rest on man mountain |url=http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,20420147%255E19774,00.html |work= |publisher=Herald Sun |date=16 September 2006 |accessdate=2008-02-15] He was recruited to the WAFL club West Perth, and in 2001 won selection as the All-Australian centre half-back at the under-18 carnival. He was selected by the West Coast Eagles in the 2002 Rookie Draft at Pick 19.cite news | first = Ray | last = Wilson | title = Eagles pair tons of derby trouble | work = The West Australian (Pre Game liftout) | date = 3 August 2007 | page = 8–9]

In 2002 he was elevated from the Rookie List after as a replacement for Phil Read, who had sustained a long-term knee injury. He was selected to represent Western Australia in a State of Origin match against Queensland, but was instead selected to play his debut match for the West Coast Eagles. He went on to play 11 games that season.

Lynch spent all of 2003 playing in the WAFL. He returned to the Eagles in 2004, playing mainly as a defender. In May, he was charged with drink-driving, reckless driving and leaving the scene of an accident, after failing to stop at a random breath test while drink driving. [cite news |first=Melissa |last=Ryan |title=Hawk, Eagle on drink-driving charges |url= |work= |publisher=The Age |date=4 May 2004]

He played in the forward line for almost all of the 2005 season, playing all 22 games of the regular season, and the qualifying final, but not being selected for the Preliminary and Grand Finals. During that year he kicked 31 goals, coming second on the Eagles' goal-kicking list. However, he was criticised for his tendency to drop simple chest marks. [cite news |first=Mark |last=Duffield |title=Eagles just too hot to handle |url=http://www.theage.com.au/realfooty/news/Match-Reports/Eagles-just-too-hot-to-handle/2005/05/29/1117305500020.html |work= |publisher=The Age |date=30 May 2005 |accessdate=2008-02-15]

During the 2006 pre-season, Lynch underwent mental therapy aimed at improving his marking. His form improved considerably, and he took 43 marks in the first eight rounds of the regular season. During the season he kicked four goals in one game, five in another, and a career-best eight in the Round 20 match against the Brisbane Lions. He kicked a total of 65 goals for the year, making him the first Eagle to kick over 50 goals in one season since Scott Cummings. [cite web |url=http://au.sports.yahoo.com/afl/clubs/player/-/1019/150/220061 |title=AFL Player Profiles |accessdate=2008-02-15 |last= |first= |coauthors= |date= |work= |publisher=Yahoo! Sports] During the 2006 finals series, Lynch kicked more goals than any other player for that year. He was the Eagles' leading scorer in the 2006 grand final, kicking three goals in the Eagles' one-point victory. [cite news |first=Joe |last=O'Shea |title=Eagles hold off Swans in thriller |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200609/s1752684.htm |work= |publisher=ABC News Online |date=30 September 2006 |accessdate=2008-02-15]

2007 did not start well for Lynch, with his goal kicking ratio dropping under 50% at one stage. His marking, however, had improved considerably when compared to that to the two previous years. Towards the end of the season his kicking noticeably improved, kicking a 7 goal haul against Richmond in round 20. He finished the home and away season with 48 goals, adding another four in the two finals West Coast played in. Lynch was one of the few Eagles to have played all 24 games in 2007.

The 2008 season saw a slightly different role for Lynch as the season progressed. He rarely misses games and with a large injury list and poor club performance through the season he started to play a more midfield role, with his big body around the contest and booming kick being valuable weapons. A valuable player for the Eagles due to his durability and hard work, although he did not kick as many goals in season 2008 as in previous years.

References

External links

*Wceplayer|ref=14577
*AflRleague|ref=Q/Quinten_Lynch.html