Setting an example is not the main means of influencing others, it is the only means. This is the sentiment echoed by sports organisations the world over, and a mantra that the Gold Coast SUNS have found in star forward Tom Lynch.
 
During a tumultuous year at Metricon Stadium, the 22-year-old has emerged from beneath the rubble to stamp himself as a key contender for the next captaincy role at the SUNS. Not that there is a suggestion it will be vacated anytime soon, of course.
 
Lynch’s goal on the final siren - his fourth for the night - to tie the scores against West Coast reeked of leadership. And his exploits in the previous two hours were indicative of someone you can build a club around; someone you can rely upon to lead a team.
 
He’s done it for most of the season, but in the last two weeks, the damage has been profound. With Gary Ablett and Michael Rischitelli unavailable for different reasons this week, Lynch led the team for just the third time in his career. In a performance that prompted Rodney Eade to label him as captaincy material.
 
“We see Tom as a future leader of the club. He’s extremely important. He’s one of half a dozen that are extremely important,” Eade told the media following the SUNS draw with West Coast on Saturday night.
 
“He was captain tonight. I think that’s recognition of where we see him as a leadership stakes at this club. And to go back and slot it, obviously not phased by it. I think he’ll get a lot of confidence from that as a leader as well.”
 
Lynch’s strengths are his ability to put words into actions. He isn’t one for preaching; rather he lets his football do the talking. It’s easy to forget how young he is due to the age profile in Carrara, but his work rate is phenomenal, as Eade pointed out to the media in his post-mortem.
 
“As we all know he’s just a great competitor. There was edits we showed last week, he was the spare man in defence, marked the ball near the back pocket and then had a shot on goal in the forward pocket from a free kick - he ran the whole length of Adelaide Oval. His work rate’s enormous, he’s competing sensationally,” Eade said.