Up with the greats
Adrian Warren
AAP, Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun, The Age, SMH, April 4
Lance Franklin deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as the greats from the golden era of AFL forwards, according to Sydney coach John Longmire.
Franklin, 30, will play his 250th game on Friday against Collingwood at the SCG, having started his career in 2005 with Hawthorn where he played 182 games and kicked 580 goals.
After signing a nine-year $10 million deal with Sydney in late 2013, he has booted 215 majors in 67 games, topping the Swans' goalkicking list in each of his three years at the club.
He needs five goals to reach 800 and six will take him above former Richmond hero Matthew Richardson into 11th on the all-time leading goalkickers list.
Longmire, who played with or against legends Wayne Carey, Tony Lockett, Jason Dunstall and Gary Ablett in what is widely considered the code's greatest era of forward talent, said Franklin was a massive competitor who worked hard and was a wonderful contributor to the side.
"His athleticism for his size is what makes him a really unique forward if you're comparing eras," Longmire said.
Swans forced to raid the nest
Greg Denham
The Australian, April 4
Sydney could field one of their most inexperienced sides ever when they attempt to open their account for 2017 against Collingwood at the SCG on Friday night.
The Swans’ lengthy injury list has forced them to turn to youth already this season and they were spared needing to make a further change when the match review panel yesterday cleared midfielder Zac Jones to play.
Against the Pies on Friday, Sydney could field their fifth first-gamer this season and nine players who have a total of just 45 games between them if Darcy Cameron is picked to make his debut in place of the injured Kurt Tippett and last week’s late withdrawal Jordan Foote is recalled for his third career game.
Jones appeared to be fortunate to have been offered a $1000 fine for his bump on Western Bulldogs forward Travis Cloke where contact was assessed to the body, when most considered it high.
The panel assessed the rough conduct charge as careless conduct with medium impact. Had it been to the head, Jones would have been handed a two-match ban, which would have been reduced to a one-game sanction with an early guilty plea.
The Swans have already blooded four newcomers this year — Oliver Florent, Will Hayward, Nic Newman and Robbie Fox — and will also play Harry Marsh (nine games), Aliir Aliir (14) and Sam Naismith (15) against Collingwood.
Longmire awaits feedback on free-kick woes
Adrian Warren
AAP, April 4
Sydney coach John Longmire is waiting for feedback from AFL National Umpiring Director Peter Schwab as the Swans seek to address their mounting free-kick tally.
The Swans have had 58 free-kicks awarded against them across the first two rounds which is eight more than Richmond, the second highest offender.
Sydney finished on the wrong end of a 31-18 count against Western Bulldogs last Friday.
"We've given away the highest amount of free kicks in the competition at this point, so I think we need to make sure that we're either doing the right thing or if we're doing the wrong thing we get better at it," Longmire said on Monday.
"Peter (Schwab) is going to get back to me and give us some ideas and hopefully we can feed that back to the players."
