Opinion Did Lance Franklin play better football at Hawthorn or Sydney?

[LeBronco]

If you split Franklin's stints at Hawthorn and Sydney into two separate careers each one is good enough to be a hall of fame career on its own so it would be interesting to get a gauge on whether people think he played better football at Hawthorn or Sydney, personally I feel his best season was 2011 he was incredibly damaging that year averaging 3 goals a game and close to 20 disposals which is Leigh Matthews territory. No one apart from Leigh Matthews has averaged 20 and 3 in a full season I know Nathan Brown

22

Nathan Brown

Age

37

Ht

196cm

Wt

99kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

8.8

2star

K

3.9

2star

HB

4.9

4star

M

2.7

3star

T

1.8

4star

No current season stats available

D

6.4

2star

K

3.2

2star

HB

3.2

3star

M

1.8

2star

T

2.8

5star

averaged 20 and 3 in 2005 but it was over 10 games before he suffered a horrific leg injury against Melbourne.

 

[PrancingPony]

He played extremely well at Sydney, but prime Franklin is his time at Hawthorn.

 

[NetworkNerd]

If you split Franklin's stints at Hawthorn and Sydney into two separate careers each one is good enough to be a hall of fame career on its own so it would be interesting to get a gauge on whether people think he played better football at Hawthorn or Sydney, personally I feel his best season was 2011 he was incredibly damaging that year averaging 3 goals a game and close to 20 disposals which is Leigh Matthews territory. No one apart from Leigh Matthews has averaged 20 and 3 in a full season I know Nathan Brown averaged 20 and 3 in 2005 but it was over 10 games before he suffered a horrific leg injury against Melbourne.

Bill Ryan did it in 1971

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

Franklin continued to be a great player at both clubs but never came close to emulating his 2008 season with the Hawks. That was phenomenal.

 

[WesternSydneyHawk]

The thing about Franklin in his younger years is that he had a kicking technique that, being polite, was definitely unorthodox.

Buddy was a left footer. He basically dropped the ball across his body on to the side of his boot, and it would bend back in the air.

It worked because he was a big strong guy with a powerful kick, and he knew where to aim it so his unconventional kick would bend back.

So he had an impressive highlight reel of freakish goals from angles that most people couldn't kick.

But if you watched the full match, you'd see him miss relatively easy set shots directly in front because of his unusual kicking technique.

It got to the point where Jason Dunstall got out the witches hats and tried coaching him on how to kick straight.

The flip side to this was he was really athletic and fast for a big guy, and was willing to run down the field and play as a very high half forward when Clarko needed it.

As he got older, he lost some of that athleticism. But he also got better at kicking straight when he needed to.

So he was more athletic at Hawthorn, but he was better at kicking goals at Sydney.

 

[shaqsuns]

Lived through it all.

07-11 buddy was the best. But during that time he was never considered the best player in the game because of Ablett was also in his prime

 

[SSSSSS]

I'm pretty sure witnessing 08 Buddy is a core millennial cultural moment, at least in the footballing states.

 

[Kennedy Parker]

Franklin had 113 goals and 88 behinds in 2008.

you can divide that goal count by 2 and you’d get 57 goals. Which was his 2018 total, the year he was AA captain.

Insane.

 

[QuietB]

Lived through it all.

07-11 buddy was the best. But during that time he was never considered the best player in the game because of Ablett was also in his prime

Buddy is the best player of his generation. His stats (goals) are 20-30% better than his closest rival. I don't think you can say Ablett was 20-30% better than his closest rivals (Judd, Swan, Fyfe, Danger, Dusty....)

Hawks Buddy was the best. Remember Buddy's first few years developing are included in his Hawks stats.

 

[Digsby]

I think maybe Sydney until about age 32 was his absolute best though his 2021/2022 seasons were good (barring a poor finals series in 22 and clearly going one year too many in 2023)

 

[Fluro Boots]

Hawthorn. If we’re being really specific it was when he was playing for Hawthorn against Essendon.

 

[Digsby]

Hawthorn. If we’re being really specific it was when he was playing for Hawthorn against Essendon.

Cale Hooker lol

 

[shaqsuns]

Buddy is the best player of his generation. His stats (goals) are 20-30% better than his closest rival. I don't think you can say Ablett was 20-30% better than his closest rivals (Judd, Swan, Fyfe, Danger, Dusty....)

Hawks Buddy was the best. Remember Buddy's first few years developing are included in his Hawks stats.

sure he was the best foward, but again ablett during that time was considered the best player of that era by all the pundits, media awards, coaches awards. Buddy never won or came close to winning those awards.

Ablett won every mvp from 07-12 apart from 2010. Irronically 2010 was his best indivdual season in my opinion.

 

[Always Ballin]

Hawks, IMO. As for the specific year? Either 2008 or 2011.

He played deeper/closer to goal in 2008, was more athletic and mobile, and was a better overhead and contested marker. He injured his thumb and shoulder after that and was never quite the same at marking the ball.

Lance Franklin underwent surgery on his hand (specifically his thumb) in the 2009 pre-season, which was part of a recovery process that also included shoulder surgery after his 100-goal 2008 season.

Key Details regarding 2009:

• Injury & Surgery: Franklin missed the 2009 NAB Cup (pre-season competition) following surgery on his thumb and shoulder.
• 2009 Season Performance: Following these injuries, his form in the early part of 2009 was described as lower than his 2008 standard, with reports noting he was training with heavy strapping on his hand during the pre-season.

He played higher up the ground between 2010 and 2013. More involved with the action as the game was evolving from traditional full forwards with the presses and whatnot.

 

[Always Ballin]

Here's a good breakdown from an informed Hawks fan with an 01 join date:

2008 was clearly his best year after the siren!

For mine he was a more unique footballer in the 07-09 period - genuinely a midfielder in a KPP body. He kicked the century in 08, and perhaps as few as 20 were from contested marks at FF. He was a (very) tall, (VERY) fast flanker/pocket who simply couldn't be matched physically. He was taller, faster for longer. (Some 3rd talls seemed to do particularly well against Franklin as they were closer athletically in general play and Lance didn't dominate them in the air)

From 2010-2013 he was our CHF, getting upfield and (felt like) he was good for "20 and 3" (goals, 5 behinds!) each week. He was probably the better "footballer" through this time (and into Swans career), but less of an individual phenomenon. If I had to name a peak year, it was probably 2012.

Once he made it to the Swans, they appears to really build him up physically - he was far bigger and stronger through the body (and hands!), slower and FAR less agile and spent considerably more time close to goals. He was probably the best FF of his career during this time. After the first year his contested ability (and free kicks!) dramatically improved.

It may have all just been his natural development (skinny under-developed teenager, then agile tall in his early 20s, mature KPF late 20s, stay at home FF monster mid 30s), or it may have been how the two clubs saw his best impact to the team.

He was the best player of the last 20 years, without question IMO. Which version was best? Well that's up to the viewer.

Now I'll go home and pick the splinters out of my butt.

 

[Mr Meow]

Buddy is the best player of his generation. His stats (goals) are 20-30% better than his closest rival. I don't think you can say Ablett was 20-30% better than his closest rivals (Judd, Swan, Fyfe, Danger, Dusty....)

Hawks Buddy was the best. Remember Buddy's first few years developing are included in his Hawks stats.

For accolades Ablett had a much greater gap than 20-30% for the players you nominated. Goals/goal assists similar. You don't really get midfielders having 30% more possessions than the 2nd best unless the whole team's only focus is to feed them.

 

[Simon_Nesbit]

Here's a good breakdown from an informed Hawks fan with an 01 join date:

You calling me old?

(Old enough I hadn't realised you quoted me - I was thinking this sounds familiar....)

...and informed is rather generous.

 

[Footy_Fan2007]

Hawthorn easily.

 

[Scotland]

He kicked 113.88 in a season. 201 scoring shots. That was silly at the time and is silly 18 years later. That's not just his peak, that is the peak this century.

If you rank his top 5 seasons by some key stats they are pretty even:

Goals: Haw, Haw, Syd, Syd, Syd
Disposals: Syd, Syd, Haw, Haw, Syd
Marks: Syd, Haw, Syd, Syd, Haw
Inside 50s: Syd, Syd, Syd, Syd, Haw
Brownlow votes: Syd, Syd, Haw, Haw, Syd

2014-17 was as good as any of his seasons at Hawthorn apart from 2008.

 

[Todman]

Hawks, IMO. As for the specific year? Either 2008 or 2011.

He played deeper/closer to goal in 2008, was more athletic and mobile, and was a better overhead and contested marker. He injured his thumb and shoulder after that and was never quite the same at marking the ball.



He played higher up the ground between 2010 and 2013. More involved with the action as the game was evolving from traditional full forwards with the presses and whatnot.

In 2009 they also made him add extra kgs. which in hindsight was a mistake.