GOLD COAST will move to re-sign co-captain Tom Lynch well before he qualifies for the expansion club's inaugural free agency period.
Lynch is contracted with the Suns until the end of 2018, having signed a two-year contract extension last April.
The 2018 season will be Gold Coast's eighth in the AFL, meaning out-of-contract players who have been at the club since its inception – at this stage, Lynch, Gary Ablett and Tom Nicholls – will become eligible for free agency.
Given Ablett will be 34 by then, obtaining Lynch's signature will be far and away the Suns' biggest priority.
Ask the coach: Rodney Eade
Lynch has established himself as one of the AFL's best key forwards over the past few seasons.
The former Dandenong Stingray has won Gold Coast's past two best and fairest awards – winning the 2016 count by a whopping 80 votes from Jarrod Harbrow – and led its goalkicking the past three seasons.
Last year, Lynch earned his first All Australian selection, named in a forward pocket after kicking a career-high 66 goals (equal third in the AFL at the end of the home and away season).
If the 24-year-old remains out of contract entering next season rival clubs will make him offers Vito Corleone would be proud of, with Victorian clubs certain to gauge whether the Sorrento product has any desire to move home.
Lynch would almost certainly be a restricted free agent – his 2018 salary would only need to be among the top 25 per cent at Gold Coast – which would mean the Suns could match any opposition offers.
However, Suns coach Rodney Eade told AFL.com.au Gold Coast hoped to take Lynch off the market well before the 2018 free agency period opens.
"We obviously want Tom to stay longer term," Eade said.
"It's still two years before he comes out of contract, but suffice to say we'd like to go early on [re-signing him].
"And the club will talk to his manager and work that through at the appropriate time."
Although Gold Coast lost star midfielders Jaeger O'Meara (Hawthorn) and Dion Prestia (Richmond) in last year's trade period, Eade said the club had largely been able to retain required players over recent years.
The coach pointed to the Suns' ability two months ago to re-sign David Swallow, Peter Wright and Callum Ah Chee, who were all due to come out of contract at the end of 2017.
Of the remaining Suns set to come out of contract this year, co-captain Steven May and midfielders Jack Martin and Touk Miller are the club's priority re-signings.
Eade expected all three to recommit within the next month.
"We're certainly comfortable internally about where things sit at the moment. Out of the six players that we really wanted to sign (beyond 2017), we've signed three and the other three we're confident won't be too far away," Eade said.
"We're in discussions and they've progressed really well so far."
Tom Lynch is seen as crucial to the future of the Suns. Picture: AFL Photos
