Buddy busts Dons

A LANCE Franklin masterclass has seen Sydney trounce Essendon on Saturday evening by 58 points, propelling them into the top four.

Kicking two goals and racking up 16 disposals, Franklin was all over the visitors like a rash, throwing himself into each contest and selflessly offloading the Sherrin to his younger counterparts when they found themselves in space.

The 35-year old is hotly tipped to sign a contract extension with the Swans and did his chances of another year on the books no harm, proving his record-breaking nine-year $10m deal has been well worth it.

After back-to-back losses at home to both Queensland teams, a first-half blitz put any sense of the Swans’ being ‘slow starters’ to rest, with the hosts heading into the halftime break with a 40-point lead.

The visitors were not without their chances in the second half, but a mixture of kicking inaccuracy and lack of intensity around the ball saw the Swans run amok at the death.

With less than 10 points separating the teams from their past eight games, the match between the two was hotly tipped to be another blockbuster.

However, after a valiant last quarter rally that saw them stun Hawthorn last week, the Bombers were anything but explosive, managing just 158 disposals and kicking a measly two goals in the entire second half. It was a sour note on what was supposed to be midfielder Dyson Heppell’s 200th game celebration.

A rare highlight for the visitors came in the form of Jye Caldwell, taking one of the season’s most courageous marks going back with the flight on the boundary.

Brisbane had to fight off a determined Crows outfit which led by three points at halftime in Adelaide last night.

But the Lions were too strong in the second half, running away to a 36-point win.