Battling Buddy a worry
He missed out last week, so Bombers prepared for the worst
ESSENDON has reason to fear Lance Franklin more than usual tomorrow night, with the fired-up superstar keen to atone for his first goalless game of the season.
Franklin has tormented the Bombers more than any other club throughout his decorated career, booting an average 4.5 goals from 15 games.
The 31-year-old was on restricted duties during Sydney’s training session at the SCG yesterday but is expected to take part in the crunch clash at Etihad Stadium.
Franklin, who has now fallen 10 goals behind Ben Brown on the Coleman Medal leaderboard, rarely has two quiet games in a row.
“You always know he’ll bounce back really well,” Sydney vice-captain Luke Parker said.
Gold Coast’s Rory Thompson became the first defender in 2018 to comprehensively stop one of the league’s most potent players.
Franklin’s radar was off during the biggest boilover of the modern era. The four-time Coleman medallist missed two shots that would have put the Swans within a goal during the last quarter against the Suns.
“It wasn’t like he didn’t have shots, he just didn’t finish,” Parker said. “He created the opportunities, which he does every week.”
Franklin kicked four goals in a single quarter during the Swans’ previous meeting with Essendon, a resounding elimination-final victory, while he booted two bags of nine against them as a Hawk.
The Swans, seeking to make it 15 finals appearances in 16 consecutive seasons, risk falling out of the top eight if they lose to the Bombers.
Parker insisted there would be a powerful response after one of Sydney’s worst defeats under John Longmire.
“We’ve had poor losses and when our backs are up against the wall, we’ve ended up producing some of our best games,” he said.
“It was a bad loss. We take responsibility for that.
“We turned over the ball at pretty horrible times, just with lazy kicks and lazy skill errors.”
Parker suggested former co-captain Kieren Jack is well placed to return from a knee injury tomorrow, while Jarrad McVeigh could return from a broken collarbone “within the next two weeks”.
The big-bodied midfielder declared it wasn’t time for the club to panic, noting it is still fourth on the ladder.
“You cost yourself four points, you don’t lose any more points,” he said. “We know it’s going to be a really close eight and we’re really hunting for that top four. The Bombers are fighting for a spot in there, so no doubt it’s going to be a pretty fierce contest.”