Swans a box office hit
Andrew Wu, David Sygall
SMH, May 26
Lance Franklin's return to his superstar ways is propelling Sydney to a level of box office success rivalling the halcyon days of the Tony Lockett era and has the Swans in sight of breaking their home crowd record.
Swans fans are voting with their feet and their wallets this year with the club already boasting a new mark for memberships, beating the previous best set last year. They are also in the hunt to break the long-standing home crowd record from 1997.
The full-time return to the SCG is proving to be a winner with the red and white faithful with their first four home crowds up nearly 25 per cent compared to the same stage last season.
The Swans' average crowd of 33,964 this season ranks below only 1997 and 2006 and '07 when the club was enjoying then unprecedented success in Sydney.
In all three seasons, where they were averaging around 35,000, they were coming off a grand final appearance, were competitive on the field and had a glamour forward – Tony Lockett, then Barry Hall and now Franklin – to excite the masses.
Swans chief Andrew Ireland believes all three factors have played a part in the 2014 grand finalists enjoying strong off-field success this year.
"It's no coincidence the biggest crowds were years after grand final performances," Ireland said.
"In 1997 you had a team that could make the grand final, a side playing well and a high-profile big forward, which Sydney crowds like.
"In 2007 it was very similar with Hally playing at his best, a team playing well and coming off grand finals."
Swans must stand up against Roos
Ben Horne
Daily Telegraph, May 26
PREMIERSHIPS might not be won in May, but the Swans know they can easily be lost by not standing up against the big teams in the mid-year games that matter.
As far as genuine blockbusters are concerned this season, they won’t get any bigger than Sydney hosting ladder leaders North Melbourne on a Friday night at the SCG.
Only 2000 tickets remain unsold for a match that is destined to be a sellout, and as long as the members turn up — finals’ like atmosphere beckons for John Longmire’s men.
The Swans’ influential midfielder Josh Kennedy insists his side have buried any demons from last year’s crushing semi-final loss to the Kangaroos across town at ANZ Stadium.
However, he admits the magnitude of this top of the table clash cannot be underplayed, particularly for the many rookies on the Sydney roster like George Hewett, Callum Mills, Tom Papley and Isaac Heeney.
A role for Buddy to grow into
Ben Horne
Daily Telegraph, May 26
SWANS forward Lance Franklin has declared he will one day grow into the indigenous statesman role occupied for so long by Adam Goodes.
There is no doubting Franklin’s iconic standing in Sydney and in the AFL, but while Goodes was always a willingly outspoken and vocal identity in the media, the 29-year-old has always tended to shy away from the microphone.
As Goodes has found out, standing up for what you believe in can come at a personal cost.
However, Franklin says he hasn’t consciously stayed out of speaking openly on indigenous issues and believes he can one day be an advocate and star player at the same time.
Franklin will start as favourite to win the Adam Goodes-Michael O’Loughlin best-on-ground medal on the line against North Melbourne on Friday night at the SCG, and the man they call Buddy is confident he can emulate the off-field example set by his two idols as well.
“I think it’s something I’ll grow into as the years go on,” said Franklin when asked about being an indigenous role model.
“Goodesy and Micky O were great role models for myself and people I look up to.
“I think I’ll grow into that.
“It’s a really special game (Indigenous Round). It’s special to recognise what indigenous players bring to the game and I can’t wait to get out there on Friday night, and obviously the award for the Micky O and Adam Goodes medal for best on ground (is an incentive) so it’s a special night for everyone involved.”
Indigenous round must stay
Patrick Smith
The Australian, May 26
The commentators, sensible people all of them, were discussing the merit of the AFL’s indigenous round, which is celebrated this week. To brand the fixture with greater sharpness, it will be known as the Sir Doug Nicholls Indigenous Round.
Nicholls played for Fitzroy. He trained with Carlton for more than a month but left for Fitzroy after facing racial discrimination. Nicholls played 54 games for Fitzroy in the unforgiving years before World War II.
One of the commentators mused yesterday that the indigenous round had served its purpose. That such was the sophistication of the football family race was no longer a divisive issue.
Another commentator agreed but felt the round should continue to be played just in case complacency set in. The final speaker felt it should remain because out in the wider world anything that improved awareness and understanding of racial issue still had a significant role within the broad community.
Listening to the discussion if felt like someone had manipulated time or erased memories. Or that this conversation was taking place in another universe.
Buddy’s break sets up ton target
Adrian Warren
AAP, The Australian, May 26
Lance Franklin believes someone can crack the magical 100-goal mark this season — he’s just not sure it will be him.
The Swans spearhead leads the Coleman Medal count with 37 goals, five ahead of last year’s winners, West Coast’s Josh Kennedy, and Gold Coast’s Tom Lynch.
The 29-year-old Franklin was the last man to crack a century when he kicked 102 goals for Hawthorn in 2008, with no one having kicked more than 86 since.
“To get that 100 goals would be an unbelievable effort, but you’ve got to play consistently over the course of the whole year,” Franklin said. “I think it can be done, but who knows who it will be?
“There’s a lot of guys kicking a lot of goals this time and the general play of football at the moment is opening up..”
