Lance Franklin Biography

GWS have reportedly offered Lance Franklin $10 million over six years and Swans chairman Richard Colless says a move by Franklin to Sydney would do wonders for the harbour city's market.

"I think it would be, initially anyway, an extraordinary coup,'' Colless told the Herald Sun.

"I'm not saying he's the best player in the competition - he is on occasions, but he's six-foot-six, runs like a gazelle, fends people off... and if his kicking was a bit more reliable, he'd be kicking 100 goals a year."

Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson says the AFL club won't be stretching beyond what they can reasonably afford to keep superstar Lance Franklin.

"If he chooses to go and there's AFL money that gets added to it at the end of it then that's for the AFL and Bud to work out," Clarkson said.

"But just from our point of view we'll offer what we think we can offer as a club relative to our salary cap.

"We don't want to cannibalise our own system too much. Once it stretches beyond what we can afford then we'll happily have to push ourselves out of the market."

Lance Franklin's manager Liam Pickering says his rival Melbourne clubs will have to offer a substantial pay rise for Franklin to consider switching clubs while remaining in Victoria.

"You've got to look at it, what can a Melbourne based club afford, given what Hawthorn have offered," Pickering said.

"(They would say) we've got to beat it by a fair whack. For him to leave Hawthorn for another Melbourne based club doesn't make a lot of sense."

Hawthorn fans direct bronx cheers at Lance Franklin after the key forward struggled and only managed his first goal just before half-time against the Suns.

"No-one goes out there to drop marks, or have the ball bounce the other way," teammate Jordan Lewis said.

"I was pretty disappointed in the Hawks fans for that. They probably have high expectations of him, as Buddy has high expectations of himself, but I thought it was a bit poor."

Hawthorn vice president Geoff Harris says football stars such as Lance Franklin may choose to minimize their involvement in the public if the intense media scrutiny over their misdemeanours continues.

"We are getting to the stage where I think that players like Buddy will simply refuse to mingle in the community," Harris said.

"If this is the dividend of them going out and the slightest misdemeanour or the slightest altercation … if it's blown up by digital media or Facebook, if it gets to that, then I'm afraid the stars will be staying home.

Lance Franklin defends himself via Twitter after media reports of an altercation between himself and swimsuit fashion designer and surf brand director Nicky Rowsell.

"I am not for one minute saying how I reacted was right but when someone comes up and verbally attacks me and the people I care about for no apparent reason I think its only natural to defend yourself," Franklin tweeted.

"But I guess that's not an appealing story is it."

Former swimsuit fashion designer and surf brand director Nicky Rowsell expresses her disgust with Lance Franklin on Facebook following an agressive confrontation with the Hawthorn forward at Prahran bar Morris Jones.

"What an absolute disgrace of a human being," Rowsell said in her Facebook post.

"Rude, obnoxious, arrogant, sexist, a pig and an all-round rude human. You are nothing more than a cashed-up bogan that can kick a ball."

Rowsell was soon apologised directly to by the Hawthorn Football Club as well as Franklin himself.

"He apologised and I can't ask for more than that, the matter is now closed," Rowsell said shortly after.

Lance Franklin says a 7-1 season has him unfussed about his reduced goal tally in 2013.

"I have played some all right football; I think I can get judged a little bit too much on the goals kicked," Franklin said.



"The spread of goalkickers this year for our footy club has been great. 'Roughy' (Jarryd Roughead), David Hale and Jack Gunston have been terrific players for us this year and we're all putting in and kicking goals, which is good.



"It's not just one avenue to goal."



Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson says he isn't worried about Lance Franklin having been kept goalless for the last two games.

"He'll play a role for us and if he's kicking a goal for us or not, we're happy with what he's doing," Clarkson said.

"For a bloke that's sadly out of form he's still had 17 touches, a heap of defensive acts on our behalf.

"We didn't rate his game particularly poorly last week at all, it's just that everyone else does because he doesn't score goals."

Following a season-ending knee injury to Taylor Walker, Adelaide football operations manager says the club's interest in Lance Franklin has firmed.

"Of course Buddy Franklin or somebody like that would be nice – whether he wants to come to Adelaide or not [I don't know]," Harper said.

"I know there's a few people putting their hands up for him and maybe we'll do that as well. If he was interested, we would certainly put something there."

Hawthorn president Andrew Newbold says the club will need an answer by Lance Franklin as to whether he is staying before the end of the season.

"You can't leave it until after the season, because from a recruiting point of view, it's just impractical," Newbold said.

"If he is going to leave, he needs to be thinking about where he is going. He just can't leave that until after the season, there are practicalities attached to it."

Ross Lyon is adamant that his club is not in the market for Lance Franklin.

"I went to a Coaches' Association sub-committee meeting, and Alastair Clarkson was there," Lyon said.

"I sought out Alastair, and I said to him, 'This is not us - just to let you know so you don't have to worry. It is not us'.

"That's on the public record, and that hasn't changed. I can't be any clearer than that."

Hawthorn president Andrew Newbold says the club has more to offer Lance Franklin than just money.

"I am confident (we can keep our stars) because I think we are about more than just picking up a pay cheque, and if it's one legacy I hope to leave, it's that this club is a place you want to be regardless if we are winning or losing," Newbold said.

"I reckon we are developing that culture and perhaps we don't want that bloke who wants to go for the extra 50 grand."

Andrew Demetriou slams media speculation that he would like Lance Franklin at GWS to be an ambassador of the game.

"This is possibly one of the biggest beat-ups on what is a non-news day that I've ever come across," Demetriou said.

"I want Buddy Franklin to stay at Hawthorn and under no circumstance will the AFL be involved in trying to recruit any player from any club."

Lance Franklin could be paid by the AFL as an ambassador of the game outside the salary cap if he chooses to leave Hawthorn for Greater Western Sydney.

"It would be assessed on its merits, and if it made sense, our guys would put a recommendation in," AFL chief Andrew Demetriou said.

"Under no circumstances are they to enter into an arrangement with a club to entice a player to go somewhere on the basis we are going to top up his salary."

Lance Franklin's manager, Liam Pickering, says he hasn't spoken to any rival clubs about his client coming out of contract at the end of the year.

"I find it hard to believe that they haven't been all belting my door down, but they are all probably thinking he's going to stay anyway [or] it might be they'll wait until later in the year. I don't know," Pickering said.

"One-hundred per cent I haven't spoken to another club about it."

Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson says he accepts Lance Franklin's decision to delay contract talks until the end of the season.

"He's got a contract at our football club for season 2013 and we're going to do everything we can to ensure that that's good for both of us and we'll see what happens at the end of the year," Clarkson said.

"At some point in time he'll sit down with all the information that's available to him, and I think he just genuinely wants to see how this footy season unfolds before he makes a decision on where he wants to play his footy in 2014.''

Lance Franklin won't captain the Indigenous All Stars against Richmond after pulling out due to developing fluid on top of his calf.

Trent Cotchin will lead Richmond for the first time as captain against the Indigenous All Stars in Alice Springs who will be captained by Lance Franklin.

"To get the opportunity to be captain of the Indigenous side, with some of the players that are going to be playing, to lead them out is an unbelievable experience for myself and for my family and friends," Franklin said.

"There are a lot of young kids in the squad. I see myself as a little bit older now – I've just turned 26 – so I'll be giving a lot of the kids coming through a lot of advice. Not necessarily on how to play, but just things away from [football] too."

Lance Franklin's manager Liam Pickering says talks are ongoing with Hawthorn regarding his client's new contract despite Franklin not wanting to be involved in negotiations until the end of the season.

"He might turn around in a month and say 'mate let's just get this done,' but at the moment he's not saying that," Pickering said.

"Hawthorn aren't sitting on their hands here, Hawthorn have put together a reasonable offer.

"They would prefer to do it now, and I get that. He's a hugely popular person. He sells double (the) jumpers than any other player in the game."

Lance Franklin says he has no intention of leaving the Hawks despite being adamant about putting contract talks on hold until the end of the season.

"I know there will be a lot of speculation about what I'm going to be doing at the end of the season," Franklin said.

"At this stage, I want to stay at Hawthorn. I have no intentions of leaving the football club, but it is what it is."

The Crows indicate that they may have some interest in luring Lance Franklin to Adelaide if contract talks between the star forward and the Hawks break down.

"Any club would love to have a Lance Franklin on their list but the season hasn't even started yet so we will just sit and watch how things unfold with him," Adelaide list manager David Noble said.

"Like most clubs we will be watching developments closely. You would expect it would take a lot to get Buddy to leave Hawthorn but as we've seen with these things you never say never."

Lance Franklin has put contract talks on hold until the end of the 2013 season.

"Buddy has 12 months to go on his contract and he wants to concentrate on playing," Franklin's manager Liam Pickering said.

"He said he didn't want the distraction of a contract and he has advised me talks are off until the end of the season.

"He doesn't want to entertain discussions and, whilst Hawthorn aren't happy, that's how it is, unfortunately."

Hawthorn are set for a year of intense media speculation surrounding Lance Franklin's contract as the star forward becomes a restricted free agent at the end of the year.

"It's for you (the media) to talk about Buddy's contract. His contract has got to do with his management and the footy club and Buddy, it's really not a lot to do with me," teammate Sam Mitchell said.

"That might be what I trot out all year, it's got nothing to do with me."

Lance Franklin will captain the Indigenous All Stars against Richmond in a match to be held at Traeger Park in Alice Springs.

"The Indigenous All Stars match is a really important event as it recognises the indigenous Australians' contribution to the national competition," Franklin said.

"It's a chance for some of the best indigenous talent from across the country to play together."

Lance Franklin's manager Liam Pickering says Hawthorn fans need not worry about the champion forward leaving the club.

I don't need to test the free agency market with Lance Franklin," Pickering said.

"Let's be honest - every club would want Buddy Franklin. But he will stay at Hawthorn; it will be all sorted. I'm very confident."

Fremantle admits it has room in its salary cap for a big-name player but rules out chasing Hawk star Lance Franklin.

"We understand fully where 'Buddy' is at - he's a champion of the game, and with that he certainly demands certain things that we wouldn't be able to [deliver]," Fremantle football manager Chris Bond said.

"We've got a TPP (total player payments) model and we've got a list management model and it wouldn't fit into that, so we won't be pursuing it."

Lance Franklin sells more than double the merchandise of any other AFL player via online shopping.

"It's not surprising that he was number one, but the sheer volume ... the gap between himself and the guys in the rest of the list was amazing to us," IMG STG creative director Danny Bishop said.

Adelaide coach Brenton Sanderson praises Ben Rutten for keeping Fremantle champion Matthew Pavlich to just one goal and 10 possessions in their semi final against Fremantle.

"He very rarely got beaten in a one-on-one contest ... we obviously put it on him within the group that we needed a special effort from him and we saw what 'Pav' did to Geelong last week," Sanderson said.

"For Rutten to keep him to a goal and low possessions was just a fantastic effort."

Lance Franklin has labeled recent rumours about him as 'sad' and 'stupid' as Andrew Demetriou warns peddlers of scandalous speculation.

"It comes with playing AFL football these days, which is pretty sad and frustrating for my family and my friends and the footy club to hear such stupid rumours," Franklin told Channel 9.

"I just want to get on with playing footy, and the next couple of weeks are going to be huge for the footy club. [I'm] just looking forward to getting out there."

Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson bemoans the illness that saw Buddy Franklin miss a sixth game with finals approaching.

"It's not ideal," Clarkson said post-match.

"Six weeks is a fair stretch out of the game, so that's why we were particularly keen on him being able to get up and play this week.

"It was just stiff that he got some sort of viral bug, or whatever it is that's forced him to feel unwell."

Hawthorn star Lance Franklin has informed the Hawks he has been involved in a car accident but was not injured.

"Lance Franklin has informed the club he was involved in a vehicle accident earlier this evening," a statement from Hawthorn said.

"Lance is shaken but has not sustained injury in the accident, while the driver of the other vehicle involved has been treated for an arm injury."

Hawthorn will school Lance Franklin in a drivers' education program after the star forward lost his licence for speeding.

"It has been determined the club's role in this instance is to provide Lance with education on the consequences of speed-related trauma, in order to promote more responsible road behaviour," a statement from Hawthorn said.

"The group is confident the suspension of Lance's licence for six months, and the inconvenience this punitive penalty results in will serve as an effective and daily reminder of appropriate behaviour on the roads.

"Additionally, the leadership group has requested that Lance personally research and make arrangements for an external organisation to provide a workshop or presentation for all Hawthorn players on responsible conduct on the roads."

Buddy Franklin says he is a "bloody idiot" for speeding on twitter.

"Hey guys I truly apologise for speeding there are no excuses for it I'm a bloody idiot !!!!" he tweeted.

Hawthorn releases a statement acknowledging a speeding violation incurred by Lance Franklin which will result in a suspension of his licence for six months.

Franklin was detected speeding in Brighton East on Thursday afternoon, and was issued with a penalty notice which carries a six month licence suspension, the loss of demerit points and a fine.

Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson is using Buddy Franklin's absence to strengthen his forward line.

"When Buddy plays he obviously draws a lot of attention and focus and it's even hard for our own players not to kick the ball to him sometimes given his presence down there," Clarkson said.

"Everyone in the competition perhaps wants Buddy to be kicking 100 goals but it's not necessarily the best outcome for our footy club. The greater spread of goalkickers we can have, the better side we're going to become."

Hawthorn hopes to tie up Lance Franklin to a new deal before he becomes a restricted free agent.

"He's a restricted free agent at the end of this contract, which means that if another club happened to make him an offer, we would have to match it," Hawks CEO Stuart Fox said.

"So it's very dangerous territory to be talking about that, because if he does get a really big offer, we're bigger than just Buddy, so we've got to be able to fit them all in."

Lance Franklin has notched his 500th AFL goal after a free kick for his second major against GWS.

"To do it at 25, it almost takes your breath away," teammate Jarryd Roughead said.

"So for 'Bud' to do it in eight, I'd hate to see what he's going to do in the next four or five."

Star Hawk Lance Franklin quits Twitter only to return.

"Hey everyone, I'm out ... done with twitter Sorry to all my supporters but have had enough #hatersgonnahate," he originally tweeted.

However, after a campaign led by his teammates, Franklin re-activates his Twitter account.

"Due to popular demand the big boy is back #hadto," Franklin said in his comeback tweet.

Jack Gunston says he wants to continue making gradual improvements to his game.

"I definitely don't have any expectations on myself this year; I just want to gradually build up the games and keep improving," Gunston said.

"I'm still really lightly framed, and I've still got a lot of development to go. So I'm not expecting massive games or anything; I just want to keep contributing each week."

Hawthorn star Lance Franklin kicks a stunning 13 goals as his side decimates the Roos by 115 points.

"The confidence was up today - it was good to actually convert," Franklin said.

"The last couple of weeks have been disappointing for myself, and for the footy club, to not be kicking the goals. Today, it came off."

Alastair Clarkson says wayward forward Lance Franklin will soon 'tear a game apart' despite misfiring for most of the season.

"He's going through a stretch at the moment that's a little bit rough for him in terms of his goal kicking conversion, but if you look a little bit deeper into the stats you'll see that he's the No.1 scoring assist player in the competition," Clarkson said.

"He's still actually playing some pretty good footy. If he'd converted some of those chances a little bit better then you'd be arguing that he's having perhaps his best season of AFL footy.

"He's not at the moment, but I still feel like it's only a quarter or a game away from him tearing a game apart."

Former Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse slams Hawthorn and two-time Coleman medallist Buddy Franklin for looking disinterested in a 62-point loss to the Tigers.

"Buddy just didn't look interested, he didn't really look like he really wanted to come up the ground and when he did and did not get it he just moped back," Malthouse said on 3AW.

"I have watched Franklin go into the middle time and time again and he has not got the fundamentals. You have got to have a defensive mindset and Buddy has not got that."

Lance Franklin distances himself from a clothing label Nena & Pasadena after a series of controversial videos and online social commentary promoting the company was slammed by the AFL as being dispectful to women.

"Lance Franklin's involvement with the Nena & Pasadena clothing label is as a shareholder," a statement from Franklin's management company Strategic Management read.

"He is not a director of the company, and he has no involvement in any aspects of clothing design or marketing decisions.

"Lance had initially assisted with modeling and marketing of earlier lines of clothing, but that was two years ago and he hasn't been involved in these activities since.

"Strategic Management and Lance have repeatedly requested the business cease using his image for marketing and promotional purposes."

Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson says Buddy Franklin will be used primarily as a forward in 2012 but can also play in the middle if necessary.

"Buddy doesn't need to be the key target in our forward line for us to kick a winning score," Clarkson said.

"And he's such a beautiful kick of the footy, so he's going to be able to set up some things through the middle of the ground from time-to-time as well."

Lance Franklin is expected to have a training run on Wednesday, but is on anti-nausea medication for a gastro complaint as he races against time to be fit for the preliminary final against Collingwood.

"But he went and caught up with our doctor again today, had a bit of a walk, and got some anti-nausea medication, and he was feeling a bit better," Hawks football operations general manager Mark Evans said.

"So we're expecting him to recover pretty quickly from here, probably train tomorrow and then he'll be right again for Friday."

The intrigue surrounding Lance Franklin's fitness has rolled into preliminary final week, with concerns turning to a stomach virus.

"He's fallen in love with the doctors," Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson said.

"He's got the gastro today, hopefully he'll be right by the weekend - I'm sure he will be."

Lance Franklin says he was certain he was fine to play against the Sydney Swans despite an interrupted preparation from an injured knee against Geelong.

"[It was] just a bit of bone bruising and bleeding on the back of the knee, but just icing it up got it right to go," Franklin told radio station SEN.

"I knew in my mind I was ready to go and I just did everything possible to get myself up, in terms of recovery and looking after my body. I got up for the game and we got the win."

Lance Franklin's knee injury is not as bad as first thought but the Hawks consider him unlikely for next Friday's final.

"It's a hyper-extension injury, so he has compressed one bone down onto the next as the knee was bending backwards," Hawthorn football general manager Mark Evans said.

"So there's a little bit of bone bruising and a little bit of squashing of the fat pad at the front of the knee, and obviously some swelling and some bleeding into the knee."

Hawthorn spearhead Lance Franklin is in doubt for the rest of the finals after landing awkwardly and injuring his right knee in Hawthorn's qualifying final loss to Geelong.

"I don't know how bad. We'll just have to wait and see, we'll get it scanned tomorrow morning probably," Clarkson said.

"It didn't look great, but we've got our fingers crossed and hope for the best as I'm sure every footy follower in the land would. He is an outstanding player and I hope he has a good run of luck in this instance, but we'll just have to wait and see."

Hawk Lance Franklin says he has become more team oriented thanks to Hawthorn forwards coach Leon Cameron.

"He's come to the club and he's been great with my progress as a player, and taught me a lot along the way," Franklin said of Cameron.

"(He's taught me to be) a lot more of a team player; that's been my main focus this year. I'm not saying I wasn't, but that's been something that he's brought to my game this year, and I've really enjoyed having him here."

Hawthorn midfielder Shaun Burgoyne predicts Lance Franklin will spent more time upfield when he returns to the team after the Hawks' forwardline worked well against Essendon without their suspended spearhead.

"With Buddy, he's got great endurance capacity, he's quick," Burgoyne said about Franklin.

"He's played in at the centre bounce a couple of times this year, so no doubt we're going to see him up on the wings and in the middle (at stages) throughout the rest of the year. Versatility is a great thing for the team."

Lance Franklin will have to pass a fitness test before being declared available for Hawthorn's clash with Geelong on Saturday night after being a late withdrawal against Fremantle last week.

"He was scanned last week, and the scan was inconclusive," Hawks football operations general manager Mark Evans said.

"But it doesn't really matter. If he's got the function he can play, and if he hasn't, he can't."

Hawthorn star Lance Franklin was the subject of racial abuse during Saturday's win over West Coast at Aurora Stadium.

The AFL are now investigating the issue and hope to identify the male spectator responsible for the continued abuse throughout the entire match.

"The AFL and AFLPA have worked diligently to eradicate this kind of unacceptable behaviour and it's disappointing that it could still rear its ugly head in 2011," AFL Players' Association boss Matt Finniss said.

Liam Jurrah's spectacular grab over Port Adelaide's Nick Salter wins the 2010 Mark of the Year award while Lance Franklin is awarded Goal of the Year after his spectacular running goal along the boundary against Essendon.

Hawthorn assistant coach Adam Simpson says he doesn't know what else Lance Franklin can do to avoid suspension, but hopes to find ways.

"It's frustrating because he's not in the side and he doesn't get that consistency and that flow that he needs," Simpson said.

"It's important that we recognise what he's doing wrong and try to change it, but it is difficult at the moment."

Hawthorn's Lance Franklin remains unsigned for 2011 and could be a potential target for the new Gold Coast team but says he is keen to stay at the Hawks.

"I'm up this year and I'll leave that up to my manager to sort that out," Franklin said.

"But obviously I'm keen to sign with the Hawks. They've been good to me since I've been here and it's a great club. It's more the media that talks it up than the players. I'll just concentrate on football."

AFL superstar Lance Franklin is reported to have been involved in an apparent brawl at a Perth nightspot.

"I was on the way to the toilet when an altercation broke out and I copped one in the face," Franklin said in a statement.

"I'm fine, no real injury, it's just a bit disappointing to have that happen when you're out just trying to enjoy some time off with family and friends."

Suspended Hawthorn forward Lance Franklin syas the bump is dead and says that players need to adjust to the new rules of the game.

"If you're going to do a bump or just protect yourself and if it touches their head at all, you're going to be looking at weeks," he said on Triple M.

"I reckon you're going to have to try to tackle...if you've got time to react, put a tackle on. That's the smartest thing to do because I reckon the bump's gone out of the game now. It's a shame I think."

Lance Franklin's season is appears to be over after the AFL Appeals Board last night rejected his appeal over a rough conduct charge.

Former AFL players Doug Hawkins and Tony Shaw slam Lance Franklin's two-match ban for head-high contact with Ben Cousins.

"They've got to get it right because as a kid growing up that's what footy was about. People say, 'Oh, Buddy didn't tackle', well guess what? You don't have to tackle, you used to be able to bump," Hawkins said.

"Two weeks for that is just ludicrous. I'm disillusioned by the whole situation and I think the sooner the AFL work it out the better. "

Former Collingwood captain Tony Shaw concurred with Hawkins' assessment.

"It is so embarrassing at the moment. I'm all for protecting heads and spinal injuries and all that sort of thing, but you do have contact on the field and I've been involved in bumping bigger blokes where you will hit your head on their body and it's stiff cheddar," Shaw said.

Lance Franklin expresses his disappointment at being rubbed out for two matches by the tribunal after making high contact with Richmond's Ben Cousins.

The Hawks are considering taking Lance Franklin's two-match suspension to the AFL Appeals Board.

"Obviously I'm devastated. I'd love to be out there with the boys this weekend and the weekend after," he said.

The AFL tribunal found Hawthorn's Lance Franklin guilty of engaging in rough conduct against Ben Cousins on Tuesday night which means the star forward will not be available for an elimination final even if the Hawks beat Essendon this week.

"It didn't go our way so that's a very disappointing result for us," Hawthorn football manager Mark Evans said.

"I find it a little distressing that in summing up we can regard someone's conduct as reasonable, but they can still miss two matches.

"It's very disappointing and we'll be following that up with Adrian tomorrow."

Hawthorn football manager Mark Evans says the club wil take Lance Franklin's sanction to the tribunal on Tuesday night to contest a two-match suspension for his hit on Ben Cousins.

"I can't really comment on the case before we get there other than to say we've looked at it quite a bit and we don't believe that any player should be suspended for this," Evans told SEN radio.

"I think the best case here is to keep it nice and simple and to allow the tribunal members - who have all played football - to make their assessment from that."

Lance Franklin can accept a one-match suspension for rough conduct due to a head-high bump on Richmond's Ben Cousins during the Hawks' win over Richmond.

Accepting the ban will mean that Franklin misses out on a match against the Bombers that could give the Hawks 8th spot on the ladder and a chance to play in an elimination final.

Richmond is optimistic Brownlow medallist Ben Cousins will recover from the concussion he sustained after a clash with Hawk Lance Franklin in time to travel to Perth next week to face his former side West Coast.

"He looked a bit groggy still after the game, but he sat through the meeting and seemed to be engaging reasonably well. I haven't had a full debrief on him yet," caretaker coach Jade Rawlings said.

"It was a pretty big hit and he looked like he was pretty keen to stay on, but with the way he walked, he was heading in a totally different direction to where the interchange bench was, which suggested he was in a bad way."

Hawk Chance Bateman says Lance Franklin is not worried about the treatment he receives from umpires despite Hawk coach Alastair Clarkson voicing his disapproval at the way the star forward had been treated.

"Lance isn't one to worry about the umpires," Bateman said.

"It all evens out, you'll get some good decisions and get some bad ones, that's footy."

Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson plans to speak to the umpires department about treatment handed out to Lance Franklin.

"We weren't too pleased with the way that he was monstered today," Clarkson said.

"We need to work through that with the umpiring department to try and rationalise why Buddy has to earn his free kicks in such a tough manner."

Jarryd Roughead may have had a lower profile than his forward line mate, Lance Franklin, but he has beaten him to the 100-game milestone.

"I suppose playing with him every week is the best job in the world. I've got the best seat in the house to watch a bloke like him," Roughead said of Franklin.

"It's not just him though, I've been lucky to come in with all the young boys we have. I'm probably best mates with Jordy Lewis and Buddy. It's good to get out there each week and play with your mates."

Melbourne forward Liam Jurrah can excite the crowd in a similar way to Hawthorn superstar Lance Franklin, according to Demon veteran Cameron Bruce.

"Every time he goes near the ball they get excited, I liken it to the way the crowd are with 'Buddy' and every time he went near the ball. It's something you don't experience too often," Bruce said.

"I was doing cartwheels in the backline, watching him go up for those marks."

Four goals in the last quarter from Lance Franklin kept Hawthorn's premiership defence alive with a come-from-behind win against North Melbourne yesterday. But a report of the full-forward for kneeing earlier in the match could have as big a say in how long that Hawk dream of back-to-back flags remains a possibility.

Super Hawk Buddy Franklin took advantage of the mid-season break to have a big night out at the soccer on Wednesday.

Franklin spent barely 10 minutes in his reserved MCG seat watching the Socceroos do battle with Japan, preferring to avail himself of Football Federation Australia's lavish hospitality.

He arrived with a mate about 7pm for the Ryder Room function for the FFA's sponsors and their guests.

Lance Franklin's starring role against Sydney was good but he's about to get better, says the coach.

"We're really pleased with his attack on the ball and creating contests for us and that was probably an area of his game that had been a little bit down in previous weeks and he addressed that last week and that's when he plays his best footy. We're hopeful he'll be like that again this week," Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson said.

After a slow start to 2009, Lance Franklin believes he is back to his best again after taking six contested marks and kicking three goals against the Swans.

"Craig (Bolton) is probably one of the better defenders in the comp, but I came out of the game feeling pretty confident," Franklin said.

"My hands were probably the best they have been all year. I left the game pretty confident and looking forward to this week against Brisbane."

Chance Bateman says Lance Franklin is feeling pressure to recapture last year's stunning form.

"If you compare it to last year, I think you're going to be disappointed most years," Bateman said.

"Last year was an outstanding year for him and I don't think there's been many full-forwards in the game who've been able to repeat that sort of effort.

"He definitely puts pressure on himself, he knows that he's important to us and he likes to take that challenge on himself, so he does get a bit disappointed in himself sometimes but that's part of being the player he is."

Adelaide defender Nathan Bock is set to resume from a hamstring injury as the Crows prepare to tackle Hawthorn and Lance Franklin.

"'Bocky' trained over the weekend and is looking like being available. That will be a bonus for us in defence against a couple of key forwards for Hawthorn," teammate Ben Rutten said.

"If we get 'Bocky' back, obviously, he'll play a fairly big role in defence. He has played well on Franklin in the past, so it will be good to have him available for that contest."

Hawthorn has dismissed suggestions its powerhouse forward Lance Franklin is carrying extra weight which has decreased his output in 2009 compared to 2008.

"As he's got match-fit, his workrate is matching that of 2008," Hawthorn head of fitness and conditioning Andrew Russell said.

"As he's regained his match condition over the past few weeks, he's now matching his GPS workrate of 2008.

"But weight-wise, he might be slightly heavier than last year, but it isn't affecting his performance. He's a young man just filling out as his training-age is increasing."

West coast defender Eric Mackenzie is ready to face the challenge of playing on Lance Franklin according to coach John Worsfold.

Lance Franklin vows to stay at Hawthorn for his whole career - potentially costing himself millions of dollars in wages at rival clubs.

Geelong champion Gary Ablett is the confirmed No. 1 target of the Gold Coast team.

Football director Graeme Downie made the bold claim after the club was awarded the 17th AFL licence yesterday, which came as a complete surprise to some media.

Ablett, Lance Franklin and Nick Riewoldt, who come out of contract at the end of 2010, are firmly in the Gold Coast's sights.

Under the AFL's list building concessions, the club can sign one uncontracted player from each of the 16 clubs.

Adam Goodes and Lance Franklin fight over who will be the bigger drawcard at ANZ Stadium this weekend when the Swans take on the Hawks.

Franklin, last year's Coleman Medallist, said he hoped to remain with the Hawks for the rest of his career and took some early pride in being a one-club man.

"We know we've got a great group of boys who won a premiership last year and we want to keep having success," he said.

"That's going to keep the core group together and the leaders. We want to stick together and hopefully win some more premierships."

Sydney Swans coach Paul Roos says Lance Franklin and Jarryd Roughead will be remembered as two of the all-time great forwards.

"Roughead and Franklin are still young, but I'd suggest at the end of their careers, you're going to be looking back on two pretty good forwards," Roos said.

"Dunstall and Brereton [and] Longmire and Carey were a good combination but I think Roughead and Franklin are going to stack up favourably once their careers are finished."

AFL captains have shunned Hawthorn's Lance Franklin as their predicted Coleman medallist, and prefer Carlton over the Tigers as the season's bolter.

Hawthorn's Lance Franklin made a sizzling return to football, guiding the Hawks to an easy win over the Eagles.

Hawthorn name Lance Franklin and Luke Hodge to play their first practice games of the year this weekend.

Lance Franklin and Luke Hodge are considered strong chances to return this week in Hawthorn's pre-season hitout against West Coast.

Luke Hodge, Lance Franklin and Trent Croad among nine Hawthorn premiership players to miss pre-season opener.

Lance Franklin is struggling to regain his fitness, but the Hawthorn hero aims to be ready for the start of the AFL season.

HAWTHORN star Lance "Buddy" Franklin said farewell to Darwin in style - with a night out at the Hookers and Deviates ball.

Lance Franklin is escorted out of the CQ Bar in Melbourne after an altercation with other patrons, one of whom is believed to be a Collingwood footballer.

According to Channel 9's Footy Confidential, Franklin is alleged to have been approached in a cordial manner by two women and the footballer before behaving aggressively towards them.

Franklin denies the claims and has told the Hawthorn Football Club that he did not throw a drink at anyone.

Hawks chief executive Ian Robson says he is happy with Franklin's version of events and considers the matter as having been satisfactorily dealt with.

"After becoming aware of these additional allegations overnight I have spoken at length with Lance and a number of the other Hawthorn players and impartial witnesses who were in attendance on the night," said Robson.

"I am satisfied that there is no substance to the allegation relating to the throwing of a drink over patrons at the club and as to the allegation of the language that may have been used, Lance is unable to specifically recall what was said, however, denies it was of a sexual nature.

"In the absence of further information being brought forward the club now sees the matter as closed."