BUDDY BEAUTY AS STAR HITS TRAINING TRACK
FOOTBALL is back for the year and so is “Buddy”.
Lance Franklin made his return to Sydney training on Wednesday as the full Swans squad took to the field for the first time this year.
Franklin, who was sidelined for all of last season with a hamstring problem, took part in a skills session.
The 33-year-old forward spent some time training at the club in the two-week block
before Christmas when senior players were not required back.
Coach John Longmire said Franklin, whose last game was his 300th in round 23, 2019, was “coming along really well”, no return date was locked in.
“He’s been terrific during the off-season and hasn’t really been away,” Longmire said.
“We haven’t pencilled in any particular point in time, other than to make sure he’s nice and strong through the core, and he can get himself as resilient as possible to be
able to prepare for the season.”
Longmire said Isaac Heeney, who featured in just six games last year after dislocating and rupturing the medial ligament in his right ankle, had been preparing well over summer.
Co-captain Dane Rampe is also back in full training after missing the last five games of 2020 with a fractured hand.
Meanwhile, Josh Kelly set a club record in the GWS Giants’ 2km time trial on Wednesday.
Kelly finished ahead of Tim Taranto and draftee Ryan
Angwin. Phil Davis, Matt Buntine and Shane Mumford were being managed and did not run. Defender Nick Haynes said the club, which missed the finals for the first time since 2015 last year, was focused on gelling after lots of off-season list changes.
“We’ve got six new draftees so I’m feeling really old this year and a lot of old boys have left,” the 28-yearold said. “There’s a different dynamic but it’s young and fresh and exciting.”