well i'm going to buy into the debate.... but unlike the majority of you who have posted I've actually done some research.
Just for the record, especially for Steve, Buddy isn't actually a CHF, they just name him there on the team sheet, he's spends alot of time in the forward fifty and plays the traditional FF role a lot, but he does run up the ground a bit especially this season and he's won games because of it.... Adelaide for example....
But let me throw in some stats
Lloyd's first season he only played 5 games averaging 1.4 goals and 1.2 behind per game on the other hand Buddy played 20 averaging 1.0 goal per game and .6 behind per game but he also averaged 10.6 touches a game and 2 tackles in his first season to Lloyd's 9.4 and .2 tackles a game.
Now I'm going to work on their averages a fair bit....
2001 was probably Lloydies best season, he kicked 105 goals in 21 games and got, that's an average of 5.0 goals a game, 15 brownlow votes, his accuracy was amazing he only kicked 36 behinds which is basically freaking off the charts, 1.7 behinds per game, totalling 6.7 shots per game. he averaged 14 touches per game that season as well but only 1.1 tackles a game.
Now compair this to Buddy's current season. he's averaging 4.7 goals per game and 3.5 behinds. not including a few out on the fulls that's 8.2 shots on goal per game. He's currently averaging 15.6 touches a game and 1.9 tackles. This only Buddy's 4th season, 2001 was Lloyd's 7th but comparitively they are around the same age. But in Lloyd's 4th season he kicked a total of 70 goals and he played 23 games, this season we've seen 14 games and buddy has nailed 66 (and that's only because of his nightmare accuracy).
For me I've never been a big fan of Lloyd, he's brilliant on a set shot but when i watch him it seems to me that he's not too interested in the ball unless it hits him on the chest (obviously that's an exaggeration so don't get your nickers ina knot) and his kick to mark ration and handball/tackle stats kind of support that.
When I watch Buddy he's a different player, he's very free flowing, he's interested in the ball that's on the ground, this season he's got twice as many kicks to marks per game which tells me he's doing a bit of ground work as well and you can't tell me that he's not an "excitement-machine".
I'm not going to pass judgement on who's better, but another factor is the new hands in the back rules.... Lloydy didn't have them for most of his career, he was one of the pioneers of the little shove in the back just before the ball arrived. now days backline stategy is far more advanced and practiced than ten years ago, the flood is bread and butter of defense, only ten years ago it was different. Lloyd is closer to a tradition full forward like Plugger, Dunstall and Hudson than Buddy. Buddy has had to play a different kind of roll to get goals.....
I won't pass judgement because it would cause an uproar, but look at the stats, look at the way the game is harder on forwards now (and you can't tell me it isn't) and think for yourself........

I say Lloyd is better than Franklin
Tip for all you budding dream teamers take out Franklin and put in Lloyd.
Also compair what Matthew Lloyd did in year 2000 into this arguement. Back then Lloyd was a simular age to what Franklin is now. So I say to conclude this arguement compaire the best season of each player and lets decide on that who is better. Clearly right now Franklin is better but... Lloyd at his best I think was better than what Franklin is now.
Someone with a stats comparison can confirm this as I certainly cannot be certain but this is certainly a far from over debate!

Firstly, it's stupid to try and compare players at different stages of their respective careers and claim that one is better than the other

Secondly, comparing across such a large time gap is often difficult due to the changes in rules (forwards are at much more of an advantage now than they were 10 years ago).

Thirdly, even if you were to compare the two at their primes, despite the quite different states of the game you would find that Lloyd is still the better player.

Hopefully this helps alleviate your one-eyed idiocy. It may well be that Franklin goes on to be a better player than Lloyd, for that to happen though I think he needs to change more than just his game (i.e. his horribly inconsistent kicking) but also his arrogant showmanship and poor attitude. If he can do that, than feel free to talk him up all you want, just don't hold your breath.

trent croad has fat legs!!!!! haha. Buddy is an overnight success!