Premiership Falcon Lynch calls time

Retiring West Perth star Aidan Lynch says he will end his playing career completely satisfied after last year’s premiership win.

After the Falcons premiership defence was brought to an end over the weekend by failing to qualify for the finals, the tough midfielder announced he would hang up his boots having played 124 WAFL league games.

Lynch told Sports Breakfast winning the grand final alongside his brother Conal and several close mates was his most cherished memory.

“You come up to the senior ranks, all you hope for is a premiership, and for me to get it last year, it was a major tick off the list,” Lynch said.

“I was lucky enough to have opportunity at East Perth under Jeremy Barnard and I thank him and the club for that. I suppose it was a full circle moment, returning back to West Perth and playing my last game against East Perth was special as well.

“Like a lot of people’s careers, there’s a lot of highs and a lot of lows, but I’ve been extremely lucky to achieve what I have. I haven’t taken anything for granted.”

Having pulled up stumps at the WAFL level aged just 28, the 2014 Prendergast Medal winner said he wanted to end his playing career on his own terms.

“When you’re a fat, slow, struggling midfielder, the cliff can come very quickly for you,” he joked.

“I saw the cliff and I thought I better get off the train before I fall off it.”

With his attentions now turning to coaching aspirations, Lynch said he had been lucky to learn from a number of good role models over the course of his playing career.

“I started coaching at West Perth in about 2018, I got injured and it helped keep me around. I’ve done my PD and West Perth’s really good at that,” he said.

“I’ve always been keen on coaching and looking for that in the future. I started in the development squads and the last couple of years I’ve done the futures, which is the under 16’s.

“The goal is to get as high as I can in the coaching aspect, be that a WAFL league coach or whatever it may be. I just love being around the footy environment, and I’ve learned you can get a bit of joy out of other people’s progression.”