Hawthorn fans will descend on Sydney to make their feelings towards Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin heard when the competition leaders are welcomed to ANZ Stadium by the Sydney Swans this Friday night.
Buddy’s departure from Glenferrie Oval for Sydney last October was one of the biggest news stories to rock the AFL, setting the scene for what should be the biggest grudge match of the season to date.
Franklin left the Hawks having won two AFL premiership medallions, kicking 580 goals in 189 games on his way to collecting two Coleman Medals.
But the grudge match of the year could be over before it’s even begun. The multi-million dollar man is still in doubt for the match due to a knee injury suffered in the Swans’ victory over Melbourne, which forced him to miss last week’s victorious trip to the Gabba.
The last thing he needs is to miss the showdown against his old club after a rocky start to life as a Sydney Swan.
He has so far not lived up to his price tag with his highest goal haul being four against both Adelaide and Fremantle, while off-field he was lucky to escape injury-free after crashing his girlfriend’s Jeep into four parked cars.
The Swans have resurrected their campaign after a rocky start to the season, in which they lost three of their first four matches. They broke into the top eight for the first time this season after thrashing the Brisbane Lions by 79 points at the Gabba, doing so without their twin towers in Franklin and Kurt Tippett.
But they will need to be at their very best against the Hawks, who have proven that there is life after Buddy by winning six of their first seven matches by an average margin of 70 points.
Last year’s Coleman Medallist Jarryd Roughead, Luke Breust, Jack Gunston and regular defender Ryan Schoenmakers kicked four goals each as they devastated St Kilda by 145 points at the MCG last Saturday.
Former captain Sam Mitchell and last year’s Norm Smith Medallist Brian Lake will both miss the flight north after suffering injuries in the romp against the Saints.
The Swans also have their worries, with Mike Pyke to miss after suffering a hamstring injury in their win over the Lions. This will leave Tom Derickx to shoulder the ruck duties against the Hawks’ pair of Ben McEvoy and David Hale.
In a positive for the hosts, Adam Goodes was solid in his one-and-a-half games back from a long injury layoff, while Sam Reid is also set to return along with Tippett and Franklin. This will give John Longmire the chance to finally unveil the AFL’s most expensive forward line to combat their Hawks’ counterparts, led by Roughead.
If the Swans’ multi-million dollar forward line is eventually named, then what could be a shootout for the ages may eventuate in front of what is expected to be a large crowd at ANZ Stadium.
With both clubs in form and Franklin potentially making his debut against his old club, a large crowd will be expected to watch the two heavyweights and 2012 grand final combatants fight it out over the course of two hours.
The Swans haven’t beaten the Hawks since that grand final victory just over 19 months ago, and even if Franklin does play they will enter this match as underdogs – just like they did on that last Saturday of September 2012.
Regardless of the result, AFL fans will be hoping for a tight, physical match between two of the competition’s powerhouses on the big Friday night stage.
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