Mandurah Mustangs product Brad Lynch enjoyed one of the more outstanding AFL debuts seen in recent years when he played a crucial role in the Western Bulldogs heart-stopping upset over Geelong on Friday night.
In a game that came down to a kick after the siren – which Geelong’s Harry Taylor pushed wide to give the Bulldogs a two-point win – Lynch shone on debut with 18 disposals and a some vital contested ball wins down the stretch.
The numbers will tell you the Peel region junior finished with 10 kicks, eight handballs, three marks and two tackles, (a healthy return for a first-gamer) but Lynch made much more of an impact than his stat sheet suggests.
The running defender drove the ball forward on several occasions, and won a number of contests that could have gone either way.
In a game decided by two points those wins proved paramount to the Bulldogs’ success.
Speaking with westernbulldogs.com.au after the match, the 20-year-old found it hard to contain his joy.
“That’s something I’ll obviously always remember. It’s up there with the best feeling I’ve ever had, winning the game like that,” he said.
“It was unbelievable walking off and then walking into the change rooms just then and getting a Gatorade shower. You can’t get any better than that.”
Lynch has been on the Bulldogs’ list since he was taken with their first pick in the 2015 NAB AFL Rookie Draft, winning a premiership with their VFL squad Footscray in 2016 before injury hampered his 2017 campaign.
He will now look to continue the strong form he displayed in his first game as he hopes to cement a spot in the Bulldogs’ regular 22.