A “big elephant in the room” looms large at Richmond as Tom Lynch faces a ban just days after it emerged he had opened talks on a new deal to play on in 2026.

The premiership forward swung wildly at Adelaide opponent Jordon Butts on Sunday, lucky not to make a more damaging connection but still putting himself at risk of a lengthy suspension.

The AFL match review matrix points to a two or three-game ban while a prevailing theory suggests the league will push for a longer suspension at the tribunal.

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Lynch has already admitted he was frustrated with how he was being defended by Butts and accepted he crossed a line.

“I was just trying to get free or whatever and frustration came out,” he told 7NEWS.

“I gave away too many free kicks and it’s not good enough as a leader at Richmond. At half-time I said sorry boys, I thought we were playing pretty well in that second quarter and I pretty much stopped the momentum.

“I was more frustrated with how he was defending me, I thought. And clearly it was within the rules because there were no free kicks awarded to me, and I went outside the rules. Yeah, I’ve got to be better.”

Injuries restricted Lynch to just eight games across the entire 2023-24 seasons while he has kicked only 18 goals in 13 games this year, Sunday’s one-goal, two-touch performance against the Crows proving his worst outing yet.

But the 32-year-old is all set to play on next year after committing to the rebuilding Tigers.

“There had always been the thought with Tom Lynch — would a club go after him and try to lure him for the end of his career?” 7NEWS Melbourne’s Mitch Cleary reported last week.

“But he wants to stay at Richmond, Richmond have shown intention around keeping him on a one-year deal. Positive signs for Tom Lynch, I think that’ll be wrapped up in the next couple of weeks.”

That is still believed to be the case despite the upcoming suspension.

Speaking on Sunday night, Channel 7’s Kane Cornes said he was surprised Lynch was not forced to the bench for the start of the third quarter.

“I thought it was a good opportunity to make a really strong statement that they don’t stand for that as a footy club any more,” he said on Kane’s Call.

“I thought Richmond were pretty soft with that.”

Cornes acknowledged Lynch had “done the right thing” and apologised to his teammates but he remains “surprised” by the reported contract extension.

“I said about a month ago he looked essentially finished to me, just the way that he was unable to cover the ground and the way that he was moving. He looked sore and, and not able to impact,” he said.

“It looks as though a very, very good career is coming to an end with the way that he’s playing ... he deserves a good send-off.

“I think the risks of (extending) senior players — we’re seeing what’s happening with Nat Fyfe at Fremantle right now.

“It becomes a big elephant in the room if you do that and if you go one season too long. Certainly some players at Melbourne, they are facing that as well.

“So better to go out when there’s a little bit, even though there’s not much left in the tank, but a little bit.

“But yeah, get him back and send him off on the right fashion, he’s been a star player for that footy club, he’s played well in big games and been central to the success that they have had and the dynasty that they’ve built.

“Today and this year’s just been really disappointing considering everything that club’s been through with Noah Balta already.”

If Lynch receives a minimum three-match ban as expected, Richmond will be robbed of serious experience in potentially winnable matches in July.

Balta will line up against Geelong this weekend before missing games against Essendon and West Coast under his court-imposed 10pm curfew for an assault conviction.