Lance Franklin again made records, milestones and highlights tumble in a 2018 campaign his coach has labelled “unbelievable”.

Franklin and Steve Johnson had butted heads for years on end, originally for Hawthorn and Geelong respectively before Franklin became a Swan and Johnson a Giant.

But Johnson, who would join Sydney’s coaching panel ahead of the Swans’ 2018 campaign, stands in awe of Franklin after his first season in red and white.

Franklin’s fifth season at the SCG saw him boot 900 career goals, surpass Hawthorn great Leigh Matthews on the all-time VFL/AFL goal-kicking leaderboard and kick 300 Swans majors.

The four-time Coleman medallist also notched his 100th Swans game, claimed an eighth All-Australian guernsey and earned his first All-Australian captaincy.

“Buddy had a fantastic year,” Johnson told SwansTV.

“He clearly was hampered from an injury early in the season, but his ability to play consistent footy week in, week out was just unbelievable given the challenges.

“That culminated in an All-Australian guernsey and captaincy, which was a great credit to him.”

Franklin kicked his 900th career goal as Sydney edged North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium in Round 17, becoming just the ninth player in VFL/AFL history to achieve the feat.

The 31-year-old finished the season on 917 majors, fractionally ahead of Matthews (915) and in striking distance of Essendon great Matthew Lloyd (926).

Franklin and Lloyd are the only two players to have reached the 900-goal barrier since the turn of the century.

Franklin became just the second player in VFL/AFL history to kick 300 goals for two clubs as Sydney beat Fremantle at the SCG in Round 9. 

He slotted three goals for the night to put himself in the company of Sydney and St Kilda legend Tony Lockett, the greatest goal-kicker in the history of the game.

Franklin bagged 580 goals as a Hawk before donning the red and white ahead of season 2014.

The towering forward ran out for his 100th Swans game as Sydney met Richmond at Etihad Stadium in Round 15.

He became just the 44th player and fifth Swan in VFL/AFL history to play 100 matches for two clubs, joining Sydney greats Barry Round, Paul Williams, Greg Williams and Anthony Daniher.

But Franklin’s glittering season would roll on.

His eighth All-Australian selection saw him become just one of five players in VFL/AFL history to collect All-Australian representation eight times.

Gary Ablett Sr, Gary Ablett Jr, Paul Roos, Robert Harvey and Franklin all sit on eight, while Craig Bradley and Stephen Kernahan lead the way on nine.

A bruised heel and groin complaint hindered Franklin’s 2018 campaign, but the star Swan knows injuries play a part in the game and says he’s pleased of the season he had.

“There are a lot of players that have injuries throughout the season and I’m no different to any other player,” Franklin told SwansTV.

“But it was nice to play a pretty consistent season.”