Richmond will seek clarity over how forward Tom Lynch was defended in the wake of an impending suspension following a strike to Adelaide's Jordon Butts.
Tensions boiled over late in the second term, with Lynch yet to touch the football and be penalised five times before the main change.
The former Sun - who apologised to his teammates at half-time - looks set for a lengthy stint on the sidelines, which could be compounded by scuffles with Mark Keane and a boot to Josh Worrell's face.
"In the moment, as a coach, you're disappointed. Because a few of them, we had possession and we were out and we're finally looking like we're going to execute, and his frustration spills over," Tigers coach Adem Yze said.
"But in saying that, we're going to seek clarification on the marking contests, because he's such a big man, and they do scrag him, and he's feeling like he's getting held. Then he doesn't, and the ball goes down the other end, and we give away three free kicks in aerial contests, in one passage of play.
"We've got to look at all these things, and we've got to help him through it. No excuse in his response, but I understand his frustration.
"We're going to seek clarification on the marking contests...he's feeling like he's getting held."
Adem Yze spoke post-game on the incidents involving Tom Lynch. pic.twitter.com/KgmGbTe7AS
— AFL (@AFL) June 29, 2025
"We don't want to take that away from him, that's why he's been such a good player for this footy club for such a long time - he's got white-line fever and he wants to win, and he wants to mark and an opportunity to mark every time it goes down the line, because he knows that's his job.
"Especially when he's playing with younger forwards around him, that's heightened. We'll seek clarification on the way it's been adjudicated, but two, we'll make sure we're coaching the right technique and getting guys to fly around him."
Lynch spoke to Channel 7 following the 68-point loss, acknowledging that he didn't step up as a leader during a tough afternoon for the rebuilding Tigers.
"I haven't seen the incident," Lynch told Channel Seven.
"I didn't want to cause harm or anything like that, I was just trying to get free, and the frustration came out. I gave away too many free kicks and was not good enough as a leader. [I] said at half-time, 'Sorry boys, thought we were playing pretty well in that second quarter, and it pretty much stopped the momentum'.
EXCLUSIVE: Star Richmond forward Tom Lynch is facing a suspension after punching an Adelaide opponent in the head.
Chief Football Reporter @cleary_mitch has more. https://t.co/5zYfOfGqUb #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/BpF6xpnBTu
— 7NEWS Melbourne (@7NewsMelbourne) June 29, 2025
"I was just more frustrated with how he was defending me, I thought. And clearly [his defensive technique] was within the rules because there were no free kicks awarded to me, and I went outside the rules. I've got to be better."
With Lynch likely to miss the next few weeks, Yze touched on some potential replacements for the veteran forward.
Jacob Bauer and Tom Sims pose as the obvious call-ups to fill a role in the front half.
Mykelti Lefau will be a watch throughout the week after he was subbed out with a calf injury, meaning Noah Balta could be swung to the opposite end.
The Tigers will take on Geelong at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
