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Buddy's x-factor comparable to Ablett snr

16th July, 2014
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16th July, 2014
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When he retires, Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin should be remembered in the same fashion that Gary Ablett senior – a freakishly skilled player with the ability to turn a game through his own brilliance.

He is one of those rare players who has the x-factor.

He is unpredictable, audaciously talented, supremely confident in his own ability and with an athleticism that most big (and little) men can only dream of.

While you might be able to contain him for a quarter, a half, or even three quarters, it is impossible to keep the big man down for long. As Carlton found out last weekend, a quiet Franklin early in the game doesn’t necessarily translate to a quiet Franklin later on; Buddy’s six second-half goals put paid to any chance the Blues had.

Like former teammate Cyril Rioli, he only needs a five minute burst to hurt a side, and the danger of him cutting loose, even on a bad day, means that opposition teams cannot afford to ignore him even for a moment.

Fans and commentators love him, as he breaks all the rules. Rather than being a robot who studiously follows team rules, he backs himself in. Whether it is one of his trademark goals, hooked across his body while running deep into the pocket, or a long bomb from beyond fifty, he has the confidence, and perhaps the arrogance, to believe he is the best option when those circumstances arise.

Of course, he doesn’t always kick truly, but when he does it brings the house down and there is no finer sight in football. In short, the game is better for him being around.

It is hard to believe that a player of his ilk could become stale, but that is exactly what happened to him at Hawthorn. Maybe it was the weight of expectation, or perhaps things had just become too comfortable and familiar, but Buddy just didn’t seem like Buddy any more. Fans began to whisper that perhaps Hawthorn were a better team without him.

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It was very Richmondesque (Matthew Richardson put up with similar from his team’s supporters) and not something you’d expect from the seemingly tight nit, self confessed ‘family club’.

Remember of course that this was the same player who was elevated to a godlike status after kicking 113 goals in Hawthorn’s premiership year in 2008 and single-handedly propelling them into the second week of the 2007 finals series by nailing impossible boundary line goals against Adelaide in their elimination encounter.

These, along with the cheeky catch-me-if-you-can moments, are what we will long remember about Franklin. The footage of him outrunning Essendon’s Cale Hooker while bouncing towards goal has already become iconic, immortalised in much the same way as Alex Jesaulenko’s mark in the 1970 grand final or Ray Gabelich’s running goal in the 1964 decider.

But as well as being flashy and prone to moments of sublime brilliance, Franklin has also been surprisingly consistent in his role as goal kicker. 60 goals last year was his lowest return since his second season way back in 2006. That equates to seven seasons in a row of kicking 60 goals or more, a better than reasonable return considering the way football is played today.

Now Sydney’s investment in the enigmatic forward is beginning to pay dividends. It will be still some time before we really know if Franklin has been worth the money, but his performances over the second half of this season certainly indicate that Sydney are a better side with Buddy’s name on the team sheet.

After a slow start he has proven that Sydney were right to take a punt on him. 33 goals in his last eight games have helped the Swans amass an 11-game winning streak and become hot premiership favourites.

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Pre-season concerns that Franklin wouldn’t ‘fit in’ at Sydney, a team that has a reputation of being selfless, have been dispelled. He has proven he can work with others, he teams well with Kurt Tippett (on the rare occasions Tippett is fit enough to take the field) and has found his way into the hearts and minds of teammates and supporters alike.

What first appeared to be a mismatch has developed into what might become a long term love affair, an affair that has rejuvenated Franklin’s football.

And a rejuvenated Franklin is a scary proposition. If he continues on this path he will soon find himself among the elite of the elite, being spoken of in the same breath as Ablett senior and Jesaulenko.

It would be just reward for the pleasure he has given us.

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