Past #23 Buddy Franklin - Thanks Buddy

[Kennedy Parker]

Lance Franklin
Lance Franklin is a giant of the game. The star Sydney Swans forward has played 300 AFL games, won two premierships with Hawthorn, is the seventh-greatest goal-kicker in VFL/AFL history, is one of just five men with eight All Australian blazers and is the most recent player to have kicked 100 goals in a season. The Western Australian is also one of just two players in the game’s history, along with former Swan and Saint Tony Lockett

Tony Lockett

Age

58

Ht

191cm

Wt

108kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.2

3star

K

8.4

3star

HB

1.8

2star

M

6.3

5star

T

0.5

3star

G

4.8

5star

No current season stats available

D

8.2

2star

K

5.6

3star

HB

2.6

3star

M

4.0

4star

T

0.0

1star

G

1.4

5star

, to have booted 300 goals for two clubs. Franklin was added to a leadership group for the first time in his career ahead of season 2020, joining co-captains Josh Kennedy, Luke Parker

26

Luke Parker

Age

31

Ht

183cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

24.2

5star

K

12.6

5star

HB

11.6

5star

M

3.8

4star

T

5.6

5star

CL

5.8

5star

D

22.1

5star

K

12.3

5star

HB

9.9

5star

M

3.9

4star

T

5.0

5star

CL

5.5

5star

D

21.2

5star

K

11.4

4star

HB

9.8

5star

M

2.0

3star

T

8.0

5star

CL

5.2

5star

and Dane Rampe

24

Dane Rampe

Age

33

Ht

187cm

Wt

89kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.0

4star

K

10.6

4star

HB

6.4

4star

M

4.9

5star

T

2.5

4star

MG

358.8

5star

D

14.1

3star

K

9.0

4star

HB

5.1

3star

M

3.4

3star

T

1.5

2star

MG

284.5

4star

D

10.6

3star

K

7.2

3star

HB

3.4

3star

M

2.4

3star

T

1.4

4star

, as well as Callum Mills

14

Callum Mills

Age

27

Ht

188cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

18.2

5star

K

10.8

4star

HB

7.4

5star

M

5.3

5star

T

2.6

4star

CL

0.6

3star

D

18.4

4star

K

11.5

4star

HB

6.9

4star

M

5.4

5star

T

3.4

4star

CL

1.4

4star

D

17.0

5star

K

9.4

4star

HB

7.6

5star

M

4.4

4star

T

2.8

5star

CL

1.2

4star

. But the 33-year-old, who was named captain of the 2018 All Australian team, has long been considered an exceptional unofficial leader, so great is his impact on Will Hayward

9

Will Hayward

Age

25

Ht

186cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.6

3star

K

6.6

3star

HB

4.0

3star

M

3.4

3star

T

2.8

4star

G

1.1

4star

D

9.0

2star

K

4.3

2star

HB

4.7

3star

M

2.7

3star

T

2.7

4star

G

0.7

4star

D

9.4

3star

K

6.2

3star

HB

3.2

3star

M

2.6

3star

T

3.4

5star

G

1.4

5star

, Nick Blakey

22

Nick Blakey

Age

24

Ht

196cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

9.9

3star

K

7.0

3star

HB

2.9

3star

M

2.3

2star

T

2.4

4star

MG

189.1

3star

D

8.1

2star

K

6.3

3star

HB

1.9

1star

M

2.1

2star

T

2.6

4star

MG

189.1

3star

D

7.2

2star

K

5.2

2star

HB

2.0

2star

M

1.2

2star

T

1.2

3star

, Ben Ronke

25

Ben Ronke

Age

26

Ht

183cm

Wt

80kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.5

3star

K

7.5

3star

HB

4.0

3star

M

2.6

3star

T

3.2

5star

G

1.0

4star

D

9.7

2star

K

6.3

3star

HB

3.3

2star

M

2.0

2star

T

3.7

4star

G

0.0

1star

D

13.2

4star

K

9.8

4star

HB

3.4

3star

M

2.4

3star

T

5.2

5star

G

2.4

5star

and the rest of Sydney’s young forwards.

Lance Franklin
DOB: 30 January 1987
DEBUT: 2005
DRAFT: #5, 2004 National Draft
RECRUITED FROM: Dowerin (WA)/Perth (WAFL)/Hawthorn

Lance Franklin | AFL

Follow Lance Franklin's progress through AFL

www.sydneyswans.com.au

 

[Dan87]

Yeah, he's certainly unique but so was Plugger IMO.

Noone has done (or will do) what he did. Far from things "any man could"... Not too many monster games & bags of goals like Plugger could. To do it so often on such a regular basis though puts him above every foward I've ever seen.

Both are amazing & not really comparable due to different game/era etc. I just rate Plugger more at this stage. Bud still has time to change my mind though (that's also the exciting part!).

Not underselling Plugger in the slightest, loved the brutality and efficiency. A real favourite

Just paying a tribute to Buddy

 

[Donza]

Yeah I can't compare Buddy and Plugger.
Plugger was a relentless efficient machine. Time after time. So consistent.
I guess he had comparables after and during. That period was the time of the dominant forward
He has contemporaries, all listed high on the all time goal list.
Obviously had a huge impact on sydney. The most famous groin of all time..the theme song.

Then there is buddy.
He isn't efficent , he isn't a machine...he is a freak. To watch a guy of that size move relentlessly, smoothly . Then kick goal after goal from impossible positions is incredible. He's so versatile, dynamic. Just one of a kind. The stats won't treat him as kindly as others. Alas.

 

[Tedeski]

Great player & all that but if we didn't take him we would still have Mitchell, Mummy, Biggs, Membrey & Jesse White!

 

[Dan87]

Great player & all that but if we didn't take him we would still have Mitchell, Mummy, Biggs, Membrey & Jesse White!

and it would still be a no brainer decision

 

[Donza]

Great player & all that but if we didn't take him we would still have Mitchell, Mummy, Biggs, Membrey & Jesse White!

*Jed Lamb

 

[Tuco]

Plugger did what every man could, just better

Buddy has done it his own way, like no one beofre, that's the exciting part

Not every man could kick a 52m drop punt to win a Prelim with a torn groin. But that's off topic.

Anyone doubting what Buddy adds to the game should check out thst ridiculous "snap" off one step with his back to thr goals he did on the weekend.

Carey isn't fit to polish his boots.

 

[Power Raid]

I would have thought Carey and Ablett are the closest comparison to Franklin rather than plugger

 

[Kapanis]

Great player & all that but if we didn't take him we would still have Mitchell, Mummy, Biggs, Membrey & Jesse White!

You had me at Jesse White

 

[Tedeski]

You had me at Jesse White

Take Buddy every day of the week in any universe.
Even if he only plays for 6 years.

 

[Kapanis]

Take Buddy every day of the week in any universe.
Even if he only plays for 6 years.

Hear hear Ted, I obviously don't understand your sarcasm, I'm not that bright

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

 

[caesar88]

I don't see how anyone can be better than Lockett. Never saw him but if you've kicked more goals than anyone else in the history of the game your spot as the G.O.A.T is locked and can't be disputed. From Lockett down though it's fair game. Buddy easily should be in the same conversation as Dunstall, Ablett and Carey though.

My grand-dad lived in Victoria for 50 years and saw Barassi, Whitten, Matthews etc plenty of times and he said the 3 best players he's ever seen on a football field are Skilton, Goodes and Buddy. And he was a Carlton-turned-West Coast supporter so i can't explain the Swans love from him lol.

Buddy's only 8 away from entering the top ten of all time. He'll get there in a few weeks with a bit of luck. Just crazy to think he's just consistently notched up milestone after milestone. It was only a few years ago he was still in the 600's and now he's looking at 900 for next year. So prolific

 

[sataris]

I have a theory.

AFL is entertainment, yes plugger was the best at kicking goals, but was he the most enjoyable to watch kicking goals?

I reckon, Buddy may be the most entertaining player to watch, and in the end, that's all that really matters

to me.

 

[DeadlyAkkuret]

I saw both in their prime. Plugger was extremely entertaining to watch as well as just being unstoppable.

I've never seen such a methodical kick for goal. No matter where he was lining up from you just backed him in. I feel very lucky to have seen him play for this club.

 

[Donza]

I just watched Salmons 10 and Abletts 14 at a H & A game 1993.

Boring goals really...considering.
The lack of defensive pressure (or pressure full stop).
Pluck..mark...kick straight...goal
Machine like.

 

[Power Raid]

I saw both in their prime. Plugger was extremely entertaining to watch as well as just being unstoppable.

I've never seen such a methodical kick for goal. No matter where he was lining up from you just backed him in. I feel very lucky to have seen him play for this club.

I loved how small the ball looked in his hands and his giant frame curled over the ball

 

[MarkP]

will get to a 1,000 in 2019 with likely 3 and a bit years to go

fingers crossed

Imagine how many he would kick and how quickly if we played him as a forward in a forward line!

 

[SwansProudly]

Lance Franklin is an excitement machine whenever he gets the ball, anywhere on the ground.
Tony Lockett was a great kick, but he was generally never more than 30 metres from goal.
You cannot compare apples and oranges.
http://www.sydneyswans.com.au/video/2017-05-09/how-long-was-buddys-bomb
PS. Fraklin's 69.4 meter goal last week was always my dream start to a grandfinal - ruckman taps it out towards half-forward/wing to Franklin, who turns to kick goal from 50 m arc. Just on Sunday it was a handpass from Sinclair

 

[CheapCharlie]

Great player & all that but if we didn't take him we would still have Mitchell, Mummy, Biggs, Membrey & Jesse White!

Why would we still want Jesse white and Biggs?

 

[Tedeski]

Why would we still want Jesse white and Biggs?

I don't know?
I was just saying things so I could fit in better on here!

 

[GotTheGoodes]

I don't know?
I was just saying things so I could fit in better on here!

Mmmm.... How's that working out for you mate?

 

[CheapCharlie]

I don't know?
I was just saying things so I could fit in better on here!

I didn't see you as a guy who has to run with the pack Tedeski

Buddy and his $$$ is not the cause of us of losing payers. We can put that blame squarely at the feet of Tippet.
Over paid and wayyyyyyy under-performing. The money we pay him could have been better spent on any number of players...
At the time, it was deemed we needed the type of player he potentially could have been...We paid over the odds...and then along came Buddy.

You can add Nankervis to the list you mentioned. He was squeezed out due to us having to keep Sinclair and Tippet and...One ruck too many (with naismith)

Of the others...I rate Membrey the biggest loss... Goodes staying that extra year meant no place for him in the team

 

[Tedeski]

Imagine how many he would kick and how quickly if we played him as a forward in a forward line!

Some stats for the stats lovers!

OK! Let me see if can can do this right!

Buddy at Hawks: 182 games for 580 goals at an average of 3.18 goals per game.

Buddy at Swans:72 games for 229 goals at an average of 3.18 goals per game.

Conclusion?
Buddy's being coached pretty well!

 

[Tedeski]

I didn't see you as a guy who has to run with the pack Tedeski

Buddy and his $$$ is not the cause of us of losing payers. We can put that blame squarely at the feet of Tippet.
Over paid and wayyyyyyy under-performing. The money we pay him could have been better spent on any number of players...
At the time, it was deemed we needed the type of player he potentially could have been...We paid over the odds...and then along came Buddy.

You can add Nankervis to the list you mentioned. He was squeezed out due to us having to keep Sinclair and Tippet and...One ruck too many (with naismith)

Of the others...I rate Membrey the biggest loss... Goodes staying that extra year meant no place for him in the team

This is all true in hindsight but as you know, it's no use concerning ourselves over something we ALL thought was fantastic at the time & that was having big Tippo in our lineup. Hands up who wasn't happy at the time.

Then the Bud deal came through. Hands up who wasn't happy at the prospect of having Buddy, & Tippett in our team at the time.

Goodes stays EVERY day of the week over Membrey! It's just the right thing to do for the culture of our club which is what has won us two p'ships anyway.

No regrets I say! We have found some others.

 

[CheapCharlie]

This is all true in hindsight but as you know, it's no use concerning ourselves over something we ALL thought was fantastic at the time & that was having big Tippo in our lineup. Hands up who wasn't happy at the time.

Then the Bud deal came through. Hands up who wasn't happy at the prospect of having Buddy, & Tippett in our team at the time.

Goodes stays EVERY day of the week over Membrey! It's just the right thing to do for the culture of our club which is what has won us two p'ships anyway.

No regrets I say! We have found some others.

You did say Buddy was the cause of us losing those 5 players (nankervis as 6), so it is important to point out the erroneous nature of that statement.

One extra year from Goodes was worth 10 years from membrey?