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Tom Lynch has claimed he has 'got to be better' after he lashed out at Adelaide defender Jordan Butts during Richmond's 68-point defeat by the Crows on Sunday.
The Tigers spearhead also apologised to his teammates at halftime following the incident, which is now set to earn him a suspension.
The Crows, who jumped into third place on the ladder, led from start to finish on Sunday as they continued on their charge to their first AFL finals appearance since 2017.
Young guns Riley Thilthorpe, Daniel Curtin and Max Michalanney showed the future is bright for Adelaide in the 18.14 (122) to 8.6 (54) result.
However, all eyes are on the Tigers forward, Lynch, following his shocking strike on Butts.
Lynch, 32, was placed on report after he viciously threw his right hand towards his opponent, making contact with Butts' head.
Tom Lynch has admittted he has to be better after he was seen striking Adelaide star Jordan Butts during the Tigers' defeat by the Crows on Sunday
Lynch delivered a half-time apology to his team-mates following the strike that is set to land him in hot water with the AFL
Fortunately, he failed to make clean contact with Butts, meaning the defender did not suffer major harm.
'I was just trying to get free or whatever and frustration came out,' Lynch told Channel 7's Mitch Cleary, adding that he 'didn't want to cause his opponent harm.'
'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.
Crows remonstrated with Lynch near Richmond's half-forward flank, with the 32-year-old reported by umpires on the spot.
Tigers boss Adem Yze opened up on Lynch's remorseful half-time address to his team-mates.
'He apologised to the group because he knew he let them down just by letting it spill over,' the Tigers senior coach said.
Lynch (left) said Butts (right) had 'frustrated' him throughout the match, leading to the outburst
Tempers spilled over as the forward was caught in a brawl with several Crows players and Tigers team-mates
'He's been such a good player at this footy club for a long time.
'He's got white-line fever, and he wants to win.'
Although Butts was not injured in the incident and played out the game, AFL match review officer Michael Christian will likely take a dim view of the behaviour.
It completed a horror half for Lynch, who failed to register a disposal but gave away five free kicks.
Only minutes before the incident with Butts, Lynch was angrily arguing with umpires about one of the free kicks he had given away.
'I was going to address it, a couple of reverse free kicks, which was just pure frustration and showing that he cares,' Yze said.
'For him to talk to the group before I even had a chance to talk to them, and then almost put his heart on his sleeve in front of the group, was exactly why he's been the player that he is.'
The former Gold Coast captain was given Bronx cheers by the Tigers faithful when he finally recorded a handball late in the third quarter, then minutes later booted his only goal of the match.
The Tigers are seeking clarification from the AFL about some marking contests, with senior coach Adem Yze stating that Lynch (centre) feels like 'he's getting held'
Lynch later told the Seven Network he was 'frustrated' with how Butts was defending him, but it was still 'within the rules'.
Yze added he would seek clarification from the AFL about some marking contests.
'He's such a big man, and they do scrag him, and he's feeling like he's getting held,' Yze said of Lynch.
In a further blow for the Tigers, forward Mykelti Lefau injured his calf in his first game back since rupturing his ACL last year.
Adelaide defender Michalanney was the surprise packet, kicking three goals playing as a defensive forward on Richmond star Nick Vlastuin.
In 59 previous AFL games, Michalanney had managed just a single goal, but took his career tally to four in just one afternoon.
Thilthorpe was the best forward on the ground with five goals, extending his career-best season to 33 majors.
Without a finals appearance since their disastrous grand final loss to the Tigers eight years ago, Adelaide are eyeing a top-four spot this season.
In a further blow for the Tigers, forward Mykelti Lefau (right) injured his calf in his first game back since rupturing his ACL last year
The Crows (10-5) sit behind only Collingwood and the Brisbane Lions - the last two premiers - with a reasonable draw coming into finals, starting with struggling Melbourne at the Adelaide Oval next Sunday.
'A really mature performance by us,' Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks said.
'We knew our record coming in wasn't strong against them. They'd done a number on us (in recent times).
'Coming off a bye, we made a really deliberate focus with the things we wanted to get right, and we did it.'
