Lance Franklin is inconsistent & has done nothing since 2008 and other messages from Uranus

[HFF]

You have no arguments from me.

Lance Franklin is the #1 player in the comp for mine.

Could quite easily go down as one of the best players ever if he keeps his head on his shoulders.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Being honest, as an opposition fan I've never ever thought this. The only possible criticism I could make of Franklin is he sometimes gets frustrated and gives away dumb free kicks. However he's hardly the only forward in the league suffering from this condition.

Hawthorn may have issues elsewhere on the field but Franklin's form is not one of them. Not to me anyway.

Agreed, and I think it's something that comes with the way in which he plays the game.
The thing with watching Buddy play is that you can tell he's really enjoying himself. He's like a big happy kid when he's loping around the ground, and often when he slings a bloke or tackles too high it's because he's just that caught up in the moment that he does something that can only be seen as 'silly'. I reckon he'd average a 50m penalty every second game, and a lot of them are avoidable.
I'm not suggesting he's unable to curtail it either, as it's pretty obvious he's matured a lot since his first couple of seasons, but if he could reduce the amount of frees he gives he'd get a lot more credit from observers who are looking for something to judge him by.

 

[Slattery_20]

Yep, gets wound up. Not the most patient around. Would agree with the 'big kid' comparison.

He doesn't seem to have the greatest tackling technique either. Legitimately gets in the back more than most, even compared to guys his size.

 

[FIGJAM]

I presume all of this is enxtending from the average BigFooty supporter failing to understand the precept of Sheehan's PS Top 50?

 

[Lockyer24]

I agree Franklin is #1, when he's in the mood he's the most destructive player in the comp. He gives us grief everytime we play them.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

I presume all of this is enxtending from the average BigFooty supporter failing to understand the precept of Sheehan's PS Top 50?

Tbh, I read it last year when he was named AA, and plenty of times before and since.

It's probably the lazy way to troll him and Hawthorn supporters.

 

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

It's hard to pinpoint a clear No 1 in the league.

I would throw Buddy, Ablett, Judd and Riewoldt into a group atm. On any given day any could be my No 1, but i reckon Buddy would be King on more than the others.

He is a freak.

To me, Hodge is the one who is overrated. Outstanding talent but i don't think he has ever been professional enough and elite fit enough to realise his potential. Norm Smith and AA Captain are elite accomplishments but i really think he is a talent a little unfulfilled.

Am not sure Hodge has the genetics to address his lack of absolute speed and endurance.

Would have been a far better player 20 years ago, but is still fantastic and in the top 10 in the league IMHO.

 

[Kahuna]

only held goalless once in 2010, yet the guy who did it is just a loose man according to some and isn't even a top 20 player in the comp according to Sheahan.

Incorrect as Buddy played Half-Forward / Wing that game. Roughead was the key forward that Lake was probably on and he kicked 4. Morris would of been on the leading Buddy.

 

[Slattery_20]

Incorrect as Buddy played Half-Forward / Wing that game. Roughead was the key forward that Lake was probably on and he kicked 4. Morris would of been on the leading Buddy.

"Probably"? "Would have"?
Seeing as you obviously didn't see it...

 

[who_let_the_dogs_out]

"Probably"? "Would have"?
Seeing as you obviously didn't see it...

yeah sounded like a stab in the dark to me. Lake generally does really well on Buddy, one of the only key defender's that can go toe to toe with him.

 

[sidebum]

Just because he hasn't reached the level he did in '08 doesn't mean his last 2 years haven't been superb.

He isn't the best player in the league currently, but he definitely has the potential to be and that's the simple basis of Sheahan's ranking of him.

 

[Guardian Hawk]

Just because he hasn't reached the level he did in '08 doesn't mean his last 2 years haven't been superb.

He isn't the best player in the league currently, but he definitely has the potential to be and that's the simple basis of Sheahan's ranking of him.

Pretty much sums up the thread perfectly.

I would add, however, that Franklin's 2010 is not that far off his 2008, as he now plays a different role and doesn't get spoon fed nearly as many opportunities as he did in '08. Going and getting the ball himself and adding a presence all over the ground are notches he has added since '08, whilst still kicking 3 goals a game (not quite as many as his 5gpg in '08). His overall value to what is a poorer side (than the '08 model) has actually increased since then IMO.

 

[rainman06]

Agreed, and I think it's something that comes with the way in which he plays the game.
The thing with watching Buddy play is that you can tell he's really enjoying himself. He's like a big happy kid when he's loping around the ground, and often when he slings a bloke or tackles too high it's because he's just that caught up in the moment that he does something that can only be seen as 'silly'. I reckon he'd average a 50m penalty every second game, and a lot of them are avoidable.
I'm not suggesting he's unable to curtail it either, as it's pretty obvious he's matured a lot since his first couple of seasons, but if he could reduce the amount of frees he gives he'd get a lot more credit from observers who are looking for something to judge him by.

Kudos to you for looking beyond what 99 percent of your fellow Hawthorn supporters put it down to : ''The umpires hate Buddy and they hate Hawthorn''

 

[rainman06]

Happy about that. Perhaps Nick misses critical shots because he is knackered ?

I would be too if I were you, and perhaps you might be right.

I was only pointing it out because of the ridiculous post I responded to said otherwise.

 

[Ricmel]

He isn't the best player in the league currently, but he definitely has the potential to be and that's the simple basis of Sheahan's ranking of him.

So do a lot of players - Pendlebury, Swan, Riewoldt, Goddard, Ablett, Lake, Cooney etc etc etc.

His last 2 seasons have not been "superb".....nor have they been poor. Sheahan has every right to rank him where he wants to. He is certainly in the top 10 and from there it really probably does not matter.

 

[sidebum]

His last 2 seasons have not been "superb".....nor have they been poor.

Obviously a matter of opinion but I think you'd have to be a pretty harsh judge to say they weren't, last season especially.

 

[Riders of Rohan]

Hodge will be a top 10 player this year? I must have miss something this preseason where he learned how to break a tag.

 

[Ricmel]

Obviously a matter of opinion but I think you'd have to be a pretty harsh judge to say they weren't, last season especially.

I disagree. He played a few blinders, he had a good season. Much like Riewoldt (the games he played).

Swan had a superb season, so did J.Riewoldt, so did Ablett, so did Goddard.

Buddy had a good season.

 

[Rioli magic]

Hodge will be a top 10 player this year? I must have miss something this preseason where he learned how to break a tag.

He was top 10 last season when he "couldn't break a tag".

 

[Riders of Rohan]

He was top 10 last season when he "couldn't break a tag".

Calm down tiger I wouldn't go that far.

 

[Off The Couch]

Calm down tiger I wouldn't go that far.

Not sure if serious

 

[Richo83]

I loved your post but feel the need to pick you up on this. The reality is that for every Didak there are at least half-a-dozen Boyds.

I stand corrected and that's a fair point, although it depends what you define as a "Didak". Is Nahas a Didak, just a poor one? Is the west coast eagles midfield collectively a poor Boyd? But I digress.

My main point is that Franklin is neither analogous to Didak or Boyd, he is both and the strengths of both. He carries some of the weaknesses (the arrogance, going for goal when there are other options, giving away frees) but the strengths vastly outweigh the weaknesses. If only, sigh, why cruel world must you taunt me.

 

[Hens Hall]

I disagree. He played a few blinders, he had a good season. Much like Riewoldt (the games he played).

Swan had a superb season, so did J.Riewoldt, so did Ablett, so did Goddard.

Buddy had a good season.

This sums up how people mark Buddy relatively harshly.

Buddy averaged more goals and possessions than J Riewoldt yet you mark his season as superb and Buddy's only as good.

Arguments can obviously be made for relative teams strengths and positions played but on face value you contradict yourself.

Further, on averages per game Buddy had a better season than St Nick has ever had and people rate him a champion. You don't become a champ by only having good seasons.

 

[The Donners]

Others have try-hard Didak Wannabees (eg Agnes Morefrees).

Monfries is a small lead up forward, how does that make him a try-hard Didak? Not for a second suggesting he's a star but the comparison is ignorant. If anything Monfries is a try hard Porplyzia, get it right!

 

[HyperAgressiveDonk]

This sums up how people mark Buddy relatively harshly.

Buddy averaged more goals and possessions than J Riewoldt yet you mark his season as superb and Buddy's only as good.

Arguments can obviously be made for relative teams strengths and positions played but on face value you contradict yourself.

Further, on averages per game Buddy had a better season than St Nick has ever had and people rate him a champion. You don't become a champ by only having good seasons.

Spot on.

I have explained to Ricmel and several others multiple times, that Buddys 2010 is better than Nick Riewoldts best ever season for possessions per game, goals per game and tackles per game. But they don't listen.

So obviously if Ricmel thinks Buddy had a "good" 2010, then by his logic, that means Nick Riewdolt has never had a great season, but a couple of good ones, a couple of average ones and a couple of poor ones.

A couple others have mentioned it, but it's the Wayne Carey syndrome. Buddy is so far above anyone else in the competition when he's on, that he will always be marked against that.

No big one anyway, I'm just glad we have 8 or 9 more years of watching the big fella tear apart the opposition