Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin retires immediately after legendary AFL career for Sydney and Hawthorn
Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin retires immediately after legendary AFL career for Sydney and Hawthorn
- The 36-year-old footy great will not play another AFL game
Sydney and Hawthorn great Lance Franklin has announced his retirement and will not play another AFL match after being injured in the Swans’ loss to Essendon on Sunday.
The 36-year-old’s departure from the sport will be officially announced by Sydney on Monday afternoon after the attacker reportedly briefed his teammates earlier in the day.
Franklin posted a brief note of thanks on Instagram shortly after the news became public.
‘What a journey. Thank you to everyone who took this crazy ride with me,” he wrote, accompanied by a love heart emoji.
Franklin cut a dejected figure after being ruled out against Essendon (pictured) with a calf injury on Saturday in an unwelcome end to his last-ever AFL game
The iconic striker (pictured playing against Essendong) appeared to have turned his season around after missing several games earlier this year with an injury and suffering a dip in form
The ex-Hawk injured his calf muscle against the Bombers and took no further part in the game after being eliminated in the second quarter.
Franklin, who won a premiership with the Hawks in 2008 and 2013, will go down as one of the greatest players in Aussie Rules football history.
He is now fourth on the all-time list of AFL and VFL goal kickers with 1066 majors from his 354 games, with his 1000th goal causing wild scenes as fans flooded the SCG during the Swans’ clash with Geelong in March last year.
The Western Australian stunned play at the end of the 2013 season by signing a huge nine-year contract with the Swans.
He missed games earlier in the season as he struggled with an injury and suffered a dip in form, prompting his wife Jesinta to spread rumors that his match against Richmond on July 6 would be his last at the MCG.
Those rumors have now become a sad truth for all footy fans.
Rumors circulated all year that this season would be Franklin’s last – and now they’ve become a sad truth for footy fans of all levels
AFL great Leigh Montagna said Sydney should have announced Franklin’s retirement in May after the former Hawk had just four disposals and lost goalless in a loss to Fremantle at the SCG.
He was joined by Hawthorn legend Dermott Brereton, who said that Franklin had lost all of his guns and will continue to be beaten by faster, more agile opponents after watching him struggle against the Dockers.
‘It’s a little sad. You have your guns as a football player. Your brain is fantastic, you know how to play. But his weapons have always been his incredible agility, his incredible pace for someone of incredible size.
However, Franklin had found better form of late, scoring two goals against Richmond with 15 disposals, two goals and 12 disposals against the Dogs, followed by three majors and 11 disposals in last Saturday’s away win over Fremantle.
He finished his last game against the Bombers with just three disposals, two marks and one handball.
More to come…