Why Buddy wasn't at his own retirement presser

1 year ago 129

Lance Franklin's legendary AFL vocation is over.

In his 354th game, successful his 18th season, Franklin hobbled disconnected Marvel Stadium with a calf wounded successful the 2nd 4th of the Swans' triumph implicit the Bombers connected the weekend.

It was his past quality connected a footy field.

Lance Franklin celebrates a extremity against the Dockers. (AFL Photos via Getty Images)

9News Melbourne's Braden Ingram is reporting Franklin's calf wounded is capable to extremity his season. Franklin told teammates connected Monday greeting helium had played his last game, having earlier this period told them 2023 would beryllium his past season.

In a statement, Franklin told teammates his vocation had been an "unbelievable journey".

Swans main enforcement Tom Harley said Franklin was "an icon of the AFL (who) volition spell down arsenic 1 of the top players to ever play this game".

"Lance has that uncommon quality to transcend footy and has brought truthful overmuch joyousness to fans for much than a decennary now," Harley said.

"He is simply a champion and volition permission a lasting legacy, not lone astatine the Sydney Swans, but wrong the AFL and broader community.

"We privation him, Jesinta, Tallulah and Rocky each the precise champion for the future. They volition ever clasp a adjacent spot successful the bosom of our club."

Why Buddy feat may never be seen again

The numbers down his storied vocation are unthinkable – Franklin is simply a 2 clip premiership-winner, 8 clip All-Australian, 4 clip Coleman Medallist, 13 clip club-leading extremity kicker and 1 clip nine champion and fairest.

His 1066 goals volition permission him the fourth-leading goalkicker successful VFL/AFL history, down lone Tony Lockett, Gordon Coventry and Jason Dunstall.

Harley and elder manager John Longmire volition talk to media astatine 3pm.

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