- Franklin retired from football in July of last year.
- He had one of the best careers the game has ever seen.
- Buddy, 37, has been very low-key since he quit smoking.
Lance Franklin has stayed away from football since his retirement in July last year, but that will change when the AFL great makes a guest appearance in this Sunday’s Hawthorn-Sydney clash at the MCG.
‘Buddy’ was last seen at a football match when he, wife Jesinta and children Rocky and Tallulah greeted fans last August as he completed a lap of honor during his emotional farewell at the SCG.
He even turned down the opportunity to appear in the traditional caravan of recently retired players at last year’s grand final.
Now he will deliver a half-time message to fans on the big screen as the two teams he starred in face off in Melbourne, as well as attending a pre-match screening.
Franklin (pictured with wife Jesinta and children Rocky and Tallulah at his SCG farewell last year) will make a rare post-retirement appearance at the MCG this Sunday.
The 37-year-old (pictured with wife Jesinta) refused to join the caravan of players retiring at last year’s grand final despite a personal request from then-AFL boss Gillon McLachlan.
“He will return to the MCG this Sunday,” said football journalist Mitch Cleary. channel seven.
“They couldn’t bring him back for last year’s caravan on the grand final day, but he’s back.” [for] Hawthorn and Sydney.
‘It’s been 10 years since his first year at the Swans, he returns this week.
‘It will be in the [club] president’s pregame function for the Hawks, then will speak to members on the big screen at halftime.
‘Ash Klein, the CEO of the Hawks, was the man who got this over the line.
“Not many people have been able to twist Buddy’s arm over the years, but they have gotten him over the limit.”
After originally starring for Hawthorn (pictured), Buddy excelled with the Swans and will be there when his former teams meet in Melbourne this weekend.
Last September, Franklin shocked football fans but turned down a place in the caravan of recently retired stars in the Collingwood vs Brisbane grand final.
“Mate, we’d love for you to be here on Saturday,” former AFL boss Gillon McLachlan said.
“100,000 ‘G fans and millions of fans across Australia would love to say goodbye to you because you have been one of the greatest players the game has ever seen,” he continued.
“He is one of the most remarkable players we have seen and there has not been a bigger name in football in the last 20 years.”
However, Jordan Lewis, Franklin’s former teammate and premiership winner, confirmed that Buddy would not be making the trip.
He had been invited to a Hawthorn event to celebrate the 10th anniversary of his premiership in 2013, but Franklin also declined to attend that gathering to catch up with old friends.
The football icon was visibly emotional when Swans fans gave him a rapturous farewell last August.
Franklin gave the game some of its best scenes in recent memory when he was swamped by thousands of fans after scoring his 1,000th goal in March 2022 (pictured).
“I spoke to him on Tuesday and he didn’t make the trip, he’s fine.”
Franklin was drafted by Hawthorn in 2004 and quickly stood out as a rare talent.
He scored 580 goals for the Hawks in 182 games, including grand final victories in 2008 and 2013, before moving to Sydney in 2014 and scoring a further 172 goals for the Swans in 172 games.
Franklin came close to premiership glory with the Bloods on three occasions (losing the 2014, 2016 and 2022 grand finals) but compiled an impressive list of personal achievements, including becoming the sixth player to score 1,000 goals in his career.
The 37-year-old made the Australian team eight times, won four Coleman Medals as the league’s top scorer, won goal of the year twice and led his club’s goal scoring no less than 13 times.