KEATH HAS BUDDY IN HIS SIGHTS

AFL: Alex Keath was a former cricketer who was told that in his fifth game he would be standing Lance Franklin.

“It was daunting, he’s a bloody good player,” Keath this week recalled as he prepared for quite possibly the same assignment at the SCG tonight.

It was round 22, 2017 and the Crows were soaring towards the finals. Keath had only debuted a month earlier.

“He (Franklin) kicked a couple on me early and Tals (Daniel Talia) took over for the rest of the game and did a great job, but it was a great experience and hopefully I’ll get an opportunity to stand him for some time on Friday night.

“But we have a good back six and play our best when we work together.”

Keath (pictured) was a key forward from the Murray Bushrangers as a teenager who was courted by the Gold Coast Suns before settling on cricket and playing for Victoria and Big Bash with the Melbourne Stars.

He eventually returned to footy, signing with the Crows as a Category B rookie in 2015.

Four years on, the decision by both player and club can be judged a success.

Keath, who came through the cricket system with the likes of Peter Handscomb, said he doesn’t feel like a cricketer playing football anymore.

“No, those days are gone. I haven’t been able to get the bat out for a while,” he said.

“I don’t think Pykey (coach Don Pyke) would mind too much if I had a game over summer but I haven’t had a game for a long time. I’d love to and I still get out in the backyard and have a hit but that’s the extent of it.”

Ankle and hamstring injuries restricted Keath to just six games in 2018 but this summer was his strongest pre-season yet.

The 27-year-old was a bright light on a disappointing day for the Crows in their first-round loss to Hawthorn, having 20 disposals, six intercept marks and 13 intercept possessions which were all career-highs.