A MOVE from the round ball code two years ago has proved a masterstroke for Albury’s Max Lynch who in that time has become a strong prospect ahead of Friday’s AFL national draft.
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Lynch landed on the AFL radar with his performances for the Murray Bushrangers, NSW-ACT and the Allies this year.
The 200-centimetre ruck-forward’s first taste of Australian rules football came in 2014 when he took up an offer from some school mates to have a game with Jindera in the under 17s.
Never in his wildest dreams did he believe he would be thrown in the mix to play the game at the highest level.
“I didn't think I was going to be good enough to play in the O and M that time and thought I would just have a kick around for a year or two and go back to soccer,” Lynch said.
“I was kind of sick of being in goals the whole time for soccer, so I just wanted to get out and round around and find the footy myself.
“I had an alright year and the Bushies asked me to trial for them.
“I didn't expect much from it and it took off from there.”
Apart from a year or two of Auskick as a child, Lynch had hardly touched a football and many had him pencilled in to play soccer at a high level after making his senior debut with Albury City at 14.
“I trialled for state and played for the Riverina and the rep teams around here,” Lynch said.
“I was an on-field player when I first started, but I went into goals when I trialled for one of the teams and got picked as a goalkeeper.
“I was also in a goalkeeping academy at one of the Melbourne clubs and did that for a while, but didn't go too far with it.”
Looking back, he doesn’t believe much would have changed, admitting as soon as he picked up the football, “soccer took second place”.
Lynch joined the Albury Tigers in 2015 and played most of the season in the thirds before representative football started to take precedence.
“Going from rocking up whatever time you want before the game to the Bushies where everything is structured was a big step up, but I've liked every second of it,” he said.
“The Tigers have been great and have supported me and the other Bushies boys the whole way through.”
Lynch admits all he can do is wait and see what happens next week.
“You obviously stand out a bit being taller, and for a new player it has been a real advantage for me coming into the game and trying to have more of an impact,” he said.
Lynch said he would most likely watch the draft at home with his parents and doesn’t mind where he may end up.
