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Early in the week, the Lance Franklin ten-year mega signing came up again and it was interesting to hear Buddy and John Longmire’s comments.
Buddy stated that they don’t have to win premierships for the deal to be successful and Longmire said that Franklin was lured to help them be competitive.
Neither is true. Franklin arrived just 12 months after Kurt Tippett. Sydney had just won a premiership and played off in a preliminary final a year later.
Both were brought in to keep the premiership window open and to hopefully add a few more trophies to the cabinet.
Franklin said when he first arrived at Sydney that it wasn’t just about the money but playing for premierships. The fact is when you’re the biggest name in the game and sign the biggest ever contact in the game, then you bring the heat and scrutiny that comes with it.
I understand that Buddy and Horse are just trying to take some pressure off. To be fair Buddy has played some consistent and great footy since his arrival at Sydney.
He has brought in the crowds in Sydney and has helped raise memberships and given the Swans more exposure in a non-AFL city, but the fact is that they really should win two premierships in Buddy’s time there for it to be deemed successful.
In Buddy’s first year Sydney were raging hot favourites against the Hawks with some experts, namely David Kingm even suggesting that the Swans would get a hold of the Hawks.
History now shows that the Swans were slaughtered all over the ground on a horrible day for the club.
The Swans will start hot favourites again against the the determined and exciting Dogs in the Swans’ third grand final in five years.
The Swans have experience, premiership players and players who have played in big games before.
The Dogs will throw everything at the Swans as they have heart and won’t die wondering but the Swans put simply must get it done. They are under enormous pressure to do so.
Get beat again and the Franklin deal talk will spiral.
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