NORTH Melbourne has finally made it official, signing veteran forward Tom Lynch to the club's rookie list under pre-season Supplemental Selection Period (SSP) rules.
Lynch, 31, arrived at the Kangaroos last November as a development coach, but had always been expected to be signed to the club's rookie list in order for his wage to be consumed as a player and not under the football department's soft cap.
It mimics a move made by Port Adelaide in 2021, which saw the Power sign former Magpies defender Tyson Goldsack as a development coach before also adding him to the club's rookie list later in the summer.
Lynch, who featured 164 times for St Kilda and Adelaide, is expected to play a handful of games for the club's VFL affiliate during the upcoming season but is unlikely to be used at AFL level unless it is a last-case scenario.
"This signing leaves the door open to Tom playing state level football in the VFL," North Melbourne list manager Brady Rawlings said in a statement on Tuesday.
"He will add depth and experience to our VFL side and will play a key role in developing young forwards in Charlie Comben, Jacob Edwards and Phoenix Spicer among others.
"Tom’s football resume speaks for itself. His experience after more than a decade in the game is an asset for us as both as coach and a player."
The deadline for clubs to sign players under SSP rules falls on Wednesday 9 March, with Lynch the seventh player to be added to an AFL rookie list so far this summer.
He follows Tex Wanganeen (Essendon), Nick Martin (Essendon), James Tsitas (Gold Coast), Jack Hayes (St Kilda), Paddy McCartin (Sydney) and Hugh Dixon (West Coast) in being signed under SSP rules.
