Quinten Lynch
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| Personal Info | |
|---|---|
| Birth | January 23, 1983, |
| Recruited from | West Perth Football Club (WAFL) |
| Height/Weight | 194cm / 104kg |
| Playing Career¹ | |
| Debut | Round 12, June 15, 2002, West Coast Eagles vs. Carlton, at Optus Oval |
| Team(s) | West Coast Eagles (2002-)
83 games, 120 goals |
| ¹ Statistics to end of Round 14, 2006 season | |
| Career Highlights | |
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Quinten Lynch (born January 23, 1983) is a West Coast Eagles Australian rules footballer sometimes known as "The Big Unit" (TBU) or "The Big Q" because of his solidly built frame of 104kg. He was recruited from the WAFL club West Perth and made his debut in 2002, playing 11 games that season. Played in the forward line for almost all of the 2005 season which saw him play all 22 games of the regular season and the qualifying final against the Swans. But he was then dropped for the Preliminary and Grand Finals.
Originally from Grass Patch near Esperance in the South East of Western Australia, Quinten went on to schooling at Aquinas in Perth. While at Aquinas he also rowed in the 1st VIII. He is well known for his passionate displays on the field, especially when he does something wrong. He had a problem with marking in 2005 where it seemed to many commentators that his chest was a trampoline where the ball bounced off at will. He overcame this but suffered an injury late in the season which he carried and he could not play to his fullest in the finals and so was subsequently dropped. In hindsight, a decision the Eagles match committee may have regretted in light of the malfunctioning forward line in that game.
His AFL debut game was in round 12 on the 15th June 2002 against Carlton and played 11 matches that season including one final, kicking 17 goals. He played no AFL games during the 2003 season, spending the year in the WAFL, and was suspended by the West Coast Eagles for one week in 2004 as a result of an incident with his car, alcohol and the police.[1] During the 2004 season he established himself as a regular player for the Eagles. Lynch's highlights in 2005 included, coming second on the Eagles' goal-kicking list with 31 goals, kicking 4 goals against Port Adelaide in round ten and he played very well in the terrible conditions in the Eagles' win over Essendon in round 12. He kicked 3 goals in poor weather conditions and also asserted his authority upon the Essendon backs. So much so he hip and shouldered Ty Zantuck causing him to fall over and subsequently injure his ankle.
In 2006 Lynch's form improved considerably and his penchant for dropping simple chest marks became a thing of the past. During off-season training, Lynch underwent mental therapy to improve his marking skills and took 43 marks in the first 8 rounds of 2006. He also booted bags of one 4 and two 5-goal hauls, as well as a massive 8-goal haul against the Lions in round 20 to mark his greatest game to date, leaving him in the lead of the Eagles goalkicking for the year. Lynch's total of 65 goals in 2006 makes him the first Eagle since Phil Matera in 2004 to reach the 60 goal mark. It is also the highest haul by an Eagles player since Scott Cummings won the Coleman Medal in 1999 by kicking a total of 95 goals for the season.
Lynch is known for his booming 70+ metre kick, with a recent goal against the Kangaroos in Round 19 (2006) travelling a massive 80 metres.
Prior to 2006, Lynch was often disparaged by West Coast's fans for his frequent errors and apparent clumsiness. However, the 2006 season has seen the in form Lynch develop into a crowd favourite at Subiaco Oval (West Coast's home ground). Lynch's forceful removal of his one glove prior to taking a set shot at goal has become a trademark action, with the Subiaco crowd cheering as he throws the glove away. The cheers are typically louder the further Lynch is from goal, as the fans love to see him kick a long goal.
Lynch finished the 2006 AFL season topping the West Coast Eagles goal-kicking list and kicking three vital goals in the Eagles epic one point victory of the Sydney Swans in the 2006 AFL Grand Final, in doing so becoming the dominant forward of the game. Lynch also kicked more goals than any other player during the 2006 finals series.
Lynch is an old boy of Aquinas College, Perth
