After another impressive pre-season campaign, Sydney Swans forward Lance Franklin is ready to go for Sunday’s huge round one clash with West Coast in Perth.
The 271-game veteran underwent two minor surgeries before Christmas and displayed the kind of footy in the Swans’ two pre-season wins that has him primed for another big year.
Sydney coach John Longmire says Franklin, like the whole team, is excited to get the season underway on Sunday.
“Lance was able to get himself in good condition and come back and play throughout the JLT Community Series, which was terrific for him,” Longmire said.
“He really loves playing round one in good shape. He’s had a really strong pre-season but he’s also a professional, so he knows the training is now finished and he actually needs to go to work now and get it done.
“Whether it’s Lance or any of our players it’s about making sure they get on the plane with a job to do.”
With West Coast forward Josh Kennedy missing through injury, Franklin will have a chance to grab an early lead in the race for the Coleman Medal.
Franklin booted 69 majors in the 2017 regular season to claim his fourth Coleman gong, after Kennedy had taken out the honour in 2015 and 2016.
But the hype surrounding Sydney’s trip west largely revolves around the first men’s AFL match in history at the new 60,000-seat stadium.
Longmire says it shapes as a highly special occasion for the club to be a part of.
“It doesn’t happen too often that you go to a ground that you haven’t seen before and let alone played at,” Longmire said.
“We feel very privileged to be able to get the opportunity to play the first AFL senior men’s home-and-away game at the new stadium.
“We feel very fortunate to be in that position but we have to understand what that situation will be like. There’s going to be a packed house, a big crowd, it will be very exciting and we need to make sure we go and play some good footy.”
Facing West Coast or Fremantle on the road has always made for a ferocious battle.
It was one which came to a head at Domain Stadium when Sydney great Michael O’Loughlin breathed fire in the faces of front-row West Coast die-hards in 2006. Click here to re-live the epic rivalry between the two clubs.
He had just iced a stunning team goal to hand the Swans a one-point lead at the death in their qualifying final victory.
A near-capacity crowd is expected to flock to the newest AFL venue on Sunday as the Swans look to get season 2018 off to a winning start.
