In the end, it couldn’t have been more perfect.
The last quarter of a game already decided, in no small part thanks to him. In front of an adoring SCG crowd, the same venue at which Tony Lockett kicked his VFL/AFL record 1300th goal, 23 years ago. With his parents, sister, wife, child and friends watching on from the stands.
There has never been a greater showman than Lance Franklin.
Such is his standing as a colossus of the game, even at 35 years old, even against the side which has had more success than any in keeping him in check in Geelong, there was hardly any doubt in the football world that Buddy would secure the four goals he needed to reach the magical 1000-goal figure, a summit crested by only five legends before.
A single goal in the first quarter, and then none in the second? Minor inconveniences. The greatest drama, after all, always has to have some element of adversity.
The start of the onslaught came when Jack Henry, staunch in opposition up until then, fell into his back. 998? No problems.
Two to go? Make that one in the dying moments of the term, as Franklin found space just inside 50, directly in front, and made no mistake again.
Incredibly, for a man whose one and only flaw has been occasional lapses of inaccuracy – he may well have given Lockett a run for his money if not for more than 700 behinds across his career – Buddy simply never looked like missing, on this most historic of nights. He’s that sort of player.
Even has his teammates, inspired for if not by him, kicked away to a statement win over the always-menacing Cats, even as Isaac Heeney staked his claim as a top-10 player in the competition with a haul of five goals, the spotlight was always on Franklin. So much so that a brief stint to the bench in the final term brought with it a chorus of boos, and even more when coach John Longmire rotated the entire interchange before him in one amusing sequence.
But there was only one possible outcome to this script. A fast break by the Swans found its way into the hands of young gun Chad Warner, streaming towards 50, and he did what he’d apparently promised Franklin all week: sent a sizzling pass onto the chest of the man with 999 career goals.
Did I say 999? Well, not for long.
Make up your own mind of the scenes that ensued, with Franklin mobbed by a throng 36,000 strong. The stands lay nearly bare by the end, as everyone rushed to join the celebrations, in a style that, should current scoring trends continue, we may never see again in our lifetimes.
Franklin’s emotions told the story: delight at first, soaking in the adulation and the acclaim in heartwarming style, only to eventually begin to show frustration as the throng failed to abate. Eventually, he was able to make it off, and leave security – the few that were around, anyway – to start the slow, steady process of ushering everyone back to their seats.
On a night the Swans announced themselves as a definite premiership contender in 2022, it was fitting that Franklin chose this moment.
Dare we dream of a fairytale premiership finish for the greatest showman?
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