Buddy all fired up to tackle his favourites

LANCE Franklin found his goalkicking form late this season, but in time to face the team he loves to terrorise, Essendon.

This year’s Coleman Medal winner kicked 10 goals and two behinds in Sydney’s 81-point demolition of Carlton in the last round of the regular season. It was by far Franklin’s best performance in front of goal this year, having managed 59.54 up to that game.

Buddy getting his kicking boots on was the last thing the Bombers wanted to see.

Before Saturday’s elimination final at the SCG, Franklin has scored 64 goals in 14 games against Essendon over his 13 seasons in the AFL. That scoring rate of 4.6 goals per game is his most prolific against any opposition, ahead of Carlton (4.2 per game), Collingwood (3.8) and North Melbourne (3.2).

Precision in front of goal has never been one of Franklin’s strengths, it was not great at Hawthorn (580.422) and it has not improved much at the Swans (276.190).

Not even the addition of Tony Lockett, the game’s greatest goalkicker, to the Swans’ coaching panel has had an effect — until now.

“Plugger’s been good,” Franklin said. “Not just for me but all the young forwards and everyone on the list has enjoyed working with him. To have him around the club is a great thing and I have really enjoyed it.

“Earlier on in the season my accuracy was pretty well down, it’s probably been the worst it’s been in a long time. I’ve just been working hard in terms of probably straightening up a little bit with my goalkicking.”

Franklin was one of the worst culprits in front of goal when the two teams last met in the Round 14 thriller at the SCG, kicking six behinds straight in the Swans’ 11.20. The Bombers were their own worst enemy as they gave up a 19-point lead in the closing minutes.