Best Buddy: How love for red-and-white family gives Franklin shot at greatness

There is a steely look in Lance Franklin’s eye that has senior people at Sydney excited. One of the greatest players the game has seen has the chance to achieve a long-held ambition; one that will forever change the way he is remembered.

To appreciate why the coming month means so much to him, take yourself back 12 months when the Swans pulled the pin in Franklin’s 2020 season.

Lance Franklin is on track to be just the sixth man to reach the magical 1000-goal milestone.Credit:Getty

Instead of signing off on a forgettable year and heading home to be with his wife Jesinta and their then six-month-old daughter Tallulah, Franklin hunkered down with his red-and-white family at a time when players across the league were battling the onerous demands of hub life. It was a tremendous sacrifice given Franklin’s devotion to his family.

He is now about to reap the rewards of that significant personal investment – so too are the Swans faithful who dare dream of a sixth flag, and football lovers of all persuasions counting down the goals he needs to join the exclusive 1000 club.

Franklin stunned many of his teammates with what he achieved in 2018 off just 20 minutes of training.

“To not train all year and be the All Australian captain – it doesn’t make sense,” former Swans premiership star Nick Smith says.

But the toll of more than two seasons of injuries finally caught up with Franklin last year. His body was no longer conditioned to withstand the wear and tear of being a key forward. This is why the toil of 12 months ago has been so important to Franklin turning back the clock.

“The foundation was laid for his strength program, his work rate and diligence to get the loading into him and get himself back to the position where he could impact games again and play week in, week out,” Swans football boss Charlie Gardiner says.

“To spend nine weeks on the road with the team and a good portion of that when he knew he wasn’t going to play, that speaks volumes for the quality of the person he is and his investment and commitment to the club.”

While teammates and rivals rested after one of the most mentally taxing seasons remembered, Franklin continued the meticulous fitness program devised by the club’s strength and conditioning coaches Mark Kilgallon and Rob Spurrs – who have since left – and now overseen by Rob Inness’s team.

Teammates are in awe of a player who, despite so many accolades, is still driven to achieve at the age of 34.

“What athletes do when no one’s watching is often a hallmark of success,” Gardiner says.

The Swans were determined to set Franklin up to succeed. They aimed to strengthen his core and legs to give him the best chance of avoiding the raft of soft-tissue injuries that had limited him to just 10 of a possible 39 games in 2019-20 and prevented him from training.

Lance Franklin boots a goal during the Swans’ big win over the Suns last Saturday. Credit:Getty

Their doubts over the champion were centred more on his physical resilience than his ability to maintain his lofty standards on the field. As late as a few weeks before the season, the Swans were not sure when Franklin would next play.

When he did return the excitement was tempered by warnings he would be rested when required. They were true to their word, benching him straight after his comeback in round two.

If there has been a silver lining to the chaos caused by COVID, it has been the Swans’ spaced-out fixture list. With only three six-day breaks, Franklin strung together 13 games in a row, broken into blocks of six and seven either side of the bye. When he has played, Franklin has not been wrapped in cotton wool, regularly playing well over 90 per cent of game time.

“There’s no magic number we wanted him to play. He’s been able to stay in games and influence games from start to finish, which has been great,” Gardiner says.

“We’re pleased how he’s managed his way through the season. We were always confident if he could get a clear run at it and with consistent training, and you need a bit of luck with injuries, that he could have a major impact across the season.

“We’re rapt he’s been able to do that and, hopefully, it continues.”

Lance Franklin celebrates with Tom McCartin after kicking yet another goal.Credit:Getty

There would not be many in the red and the white who could have hoped for much better than his return of 17 games and 48 goals in season eight of his nine-year megadeal.

Even if the Swans of 2021 are no longer as reliant on Franklin for success, it is no coincidence they have played finals every year their superstar forward has had a decent run at it.

The chance to become the sixth player to kick 1000 goals has added an extra subplot to the finals, but for Franklin it’s the opportunity to play in a premiership.

The window had appeared shut two years ago when the rebuilding Swans bid farewell to a golden era, and Franklin was staring at his football mortality.

For all the salary cap pressures facing the Swans, who are trying to squeeze in a long-term deal for skipper Luke Parker as well as retaining rising stars Jordan Dawson and Dylan Stephens, a flag would forever silence those who still question whether Franklin’s recruitment has been a success.

“The look in his eye, which I really enjoyed last week, was he’s ready and wants to achieve something,” Franklin’s former captain and now forward line coach, Jarrad McVeigh, says.

“You can just tell sometimes, the way someone’s going about it, the way they’re thinking – and he just had that. It’s that steely look of ‘this is my last chance to do something great or be part of something special’. You can just tell there’s something there.”

As much as 1000 goals is a talking point for the fans, the Swans say it has not been a source of motivation. The frequency with which Franklin has offloaded goals to teammates this year backs that up.

“I think he’s excited about the team’s development and what he sees in some of the young players,” Gardiner says. “He’s a competitor and wants to win and play in a successful team.”

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