- Tom Green was at SCG for Buddy Franklin’s milestone
- The midfielder plays for Swans’ arch-rivals the GWS Giants
GWS Giants star midfielder Tom Green has revealed a wild confession after the chaotic scenes that followed Buddy Franklin scoring his 1,000th career goal in 2022.
Talking about the Dyl and his friends podcast, Green, 23, explained how he managed to get within a meter of Swans superstar Franklin alongside countless delirious fans at the SCG, despite the risk of being arrested and fined $5,500.
“When Buddy kicked his 1,000th, I was at that game as a spectator and I kept running,” Green said.
‘We (GWS) played him in Round 1 and he didn’t kick his 1000th. Maybe he was in line for it, but he didn’t.
“But the next week they played Geelong at the SCG and I went in hoping he would kick it, and he did.
Buddy Franklin celebrates with fans after scoring his 1,000th career goal in March 2022 (pictured)
GWS Giants star midfielder Tom Green has revealed that he managed to get within a meter of Buddy Franklin on the pitch, after attending the game at the SCG as a football fan.
Amid the chaos, Green attempted to walk off the field at the SCG, but not before being discovered by Giants head of football Jason McCartney.
Dozens of security guards were posted around the border fence, but they had no hope of stopping the human tsunami at the SCG (pictured).
The SCG playing surface was completely invaded by fans, prompting football commentator James Brayshaw to say: “I’ve never seen scenes like that at a sporting event anywhere.”
‘In the fourth quarter, when he was going to kick it, I went towards the end where they were kicking, and it turned out that that pocket where he kicked it from was where we were too. We were ready to go.’
Eventually, Green realized that dozens of cameras had been focused on Franklin as he enjoyed his unforgettable moment with countless Bloods fans.
“I’ve seen (Franklin’s Swans teammate) Nick Blakey come in there and Ollie Florent… and they’re just trying to cover for him,” he continued.
“I was thinking to myself that I actually played against these guys last week… I should probably back off here.”
He did so, but Giants football boss Jason McCartney had already seen the imposing young man.
“I’m waiting in the middle of the SCG and he texted me because I think he was (sitting) in a box,” Green recalled.
“He loved it, he thought it was hilarious.”
Green also stated that he has “no regrets” about entering the field as a spectator, but admitted it would have been strange if Franklin or other Swans players recognized him.