It’s difficult to know what’s rarer in modern football – a goalless Lance Franklin or a box of doughnuts.
Funnily enough, both have been talking points at the Swans of late after Franklin discovered a cheeky reminder of his goalless Saturday night against the Demons.
Speaking to media on Tuesday Franklin confessed to finding doughnuts in his locker (a metaphor for zero) which was planted by an unnamed teammate on Monday morning.
“We all had a little bit of a laugh at that,” Franklin said of the gag.
The delectable delights were mentioned, ironically, after the reigning Coleman Medallist was asked whether finishing the game without a goal made him “hungrier” to impact the scoreboard this weekend against the Cats.
“Not at all, football is a team game and all about playing your role for the club. If you don’t kick goals, you don’t kick goals,” Franklin said.
“Tippo (Kurt Tippett) popped up and kicked his four and a couple of our midfielders popped up and kicked goals as well. It was a super team effort from the boys and we’ll have to be like that again against the Cats.”
Last weekend’s clash with the Dees was the first time in 23 games Franklin had been held goalless and only the second time in red and white colours.
But in true Lance Franklin fashion the often dynamic forward was a hard man for Demon defender Tom McDonald to peg down completely, gathering 22 disposals and six marks.
In fact, Franklin averages 14 touches over his 210-game career each time a goal goes begging with last week’s effort his highest count of the lot.
“It wasn’t too bad (in the end),” Franklin said. “To get up the ground and get a few touches is something a little bit different for me but I enjoyed it.”
Franklin faces a huge test against the Cats at ANZ Stadium with key defenders Harry Taylor and Tom Lonergan in fine touch and likely to match up on the Swans spearhead.