Richmond premiership veteran Tom Lynch is under fire after a needless free kick cost his side a shot at goal just when they were on a roll in a narrow defeat to Carlton on Thursday night.

The Tigers struck twice early in the third quarter to peg the deficit back and could have closed it to single figures when Tim Taranto lined up for a deep set shot.

Instead he was just metres into his routine when Richmond had to give the ball back to the Blues because of a Lynch brain fade.

Lynch pushed Carlton youngster Harry Dean into the post as the defender tried to keep him off the line.

“If (Tigers coach) Adem Yze was frustrated at half-time he’s going to blow his top here,” Hamish McLachlan said in commentary.

Lynch missed five games last year when he was banned for a wild swing at Adelaide’s Jordon Butts, with the likes of Kane Cornes and Nick Riewoldt scathing at the time.

And Cornes now said the shove on Dean showed Lynch had not learned.

“If you’re a senior player and you’re there to guide the young players it is unacceptable,” Cornes said in commentary on Channel 7.

“I don’t care what level of contact there was.

“He missed five games through suspension last year. If you’re going to put your hand up and come back (to the club) you’ve got to set a great example.

“And far too often in recent times his frustration has boiled over.”

Lynch had just one of Richmond’s seven goals to that point of the game.

“His frustration, he’s not been able to do what he has in the past,” Hawthorn premiership great Luke Hodge said.

“He’s just given away his fourth free kick.

“This is just Dean being a good defender. (Lynch is) just getting frustrated, he’s reacted a couple of times (and) Dean probably made sure the umpire saw it.”

Lynch gave away a fifth free kick when he was pinged for dropping the ball out of the ruck.

Hodge said the play showed Lynch lacked understanding of the rules.

“You’re in the ruck, you can grab it, get tackled and there’s no free kick — he actually dropped the ball trying to get rid of it,” he said.

Cornes argued it was time for Yze to step in.

“I think not a bad idea just to get Lynch off for a bit,” he said.

“Just go a bit smaller, more dynamic. He hasn’t looked threatening at all, he’s given away another free kick.

“Just get him off, have a chat to him and go younger and smaller in the forward line.”

Lynch remained on the field and missed two shots at goal to bring his tally to 1.4 to three-quarter time.

While Richmond failed to kick on and Carlton recorded just four behinds in the term, the Blues still took a 13-point lead into the last break.

Lynch took a strong contested mark over Dean to help set up a Jayden Short goal that brought the margin back to six points early in the fourth quarter.

“Well how important is this, that’s better from Lynch,” Cornes said.

“It’s been a poor night but that was a great mark.”

Lynch followed up that contribution with three more behinds.

“He’s not sure where he’s aiming at the moment,” Brian Taylor said after the second.

Lynch finally broke his drought with two minutes remaining after earning a free kick right in front of goal.

But the Tigers fell four points short as a late push forward was foiled by Carlton.

Minutes earlier Zac Williams, who was in serious pain earlier with an ankle concern, kicked the Blues’ only goal of the second half to secure the 10.15 (75) to 9.17 (71) victory.

Speaking after the game, Yze backed Lynch to keep playing “on edge”.

“I think that’s when he plays his best ... I think that’s why he had 10 shots on goal,” the coach said.

“I’ll back him in. There’s probably some opportunities for him to get some free kicks.

“He’s getting double-teamed, he’s a big man, they put a lot of time and effort into him.”