Buddy Franklin’s focus is on Saturday’s grand final,not the racism scandal surrounding his old club Hawthorn.
Do we love players like Lance Franklin and Latrell Mitchell so dearly not as a rejection of racism so much as a confession of guilt,not a fresh start but in some subterranean way tied up with this country’s history?
I couldn’t have picked a better time to hop on the bandwagon,but win or lose on Saturday,I have no intention of hopping off.
Swans superstar Lance Franklin considered retiring after this Saturday’s grand final against Geelong before agreeing to play on for another year.
As Lance Franklin nears the end of his career,Swans youngster Nick Blakey and veteran Dane Rampe are desperate to give the superstar forward another premiership to celebrate.
Longmire is into his fourth grand final as a senior coach,having watched his players withstand an almighty onslaught from Collingwood in the dying minutes of Saturday’s preliminary final at the SCG.
Lance Franklin will play in his sixth AFL grand final,which could put the ultimate seal on his marvellous career.
Beyond the Melbourne bubble,Collingwood are just another club. That’s why a Lance Franklin-led Swans in the grand final would be a bonanza for the league.
There’s a time lag between their shrunken on-field capability and the level of attention they command.
The further Sydney goes in this finals series,the closer they get to the ultimate glory,the more difficult it will surely be for Lance Franklin to retire - unless,perhaps,they go all the way.
Lance Franklin heads into September as one of the most potent finals players in the history of the game.