Franklin committed to a one-team career - Sports News - Fanatics - the world's biggest events

Franklin committed to a one-team career

By Adrian Warren 31/03/2009 08:23:37 PM Comments (0)

Hawthorn spearhead Lance Franklin has declared he wants to remain a Hawk for the remainder of his AFL career.

Last year's Coleman Medallist, 22-year-old Franklin is the hottest forward property in the game.

While the Gold Coast were issued a conditional AFL licence on Tuesday and would presumably love to entice Franklin north, the young full forward made it clear his allegiance rested with Hawthorn.

His contract does not expire until the end of next season, but Franklin said he definitely wanted to agree to a contract extension with the Hawks this year.

"I'm going to stay a one team man,' Franklin said.

"I love the club, I never looked like leaving, I love this club."

Franklin acknowledged staying with Hawthorn would mean he probably loses out financially by rejecting bigger offers from other clubs.

"We want to stay together as a team, if that means taking pay cuts, that's what you've got to do," Franklin said.

With just 82 senior games under his belt, Franklin felt he still had plenty to work on.

"There's a lot, marking contests, probably using my right foot a little bit more ... keep running and my work ethic is a big part of my game," Franklin said.

Speaking in a videoconference from Melbourne that was relayed in Sydney, Franklin appeared uncomfortable at being promoted as the face of Saturday's game between the Hawks and Swans at ANZ Stadium.

On Monday, Sydney coach Paul Roos suggested Franklin was the major drawcard for the game, a view shared on Tuesday by Sydney's own indigenous star Adam Goodes.

"I'm not too sure if I'm the face of the actual game, we've got a lot of players down at Hawthorn who are extremely good and we've also got a lot of good players in Sydney that are awesome too, as in Adam Goodes," Franklin said.

"I wouldn't say I'm the face of the game up there."

He also suggested dual Brownlow Medallist Goodes should be the major attraction.

The two men had a chance to sit down and discuss football at the pre-season indigenous camp.

"Growing up being indigenous, you always look up to the stars that are indigenous and Adam Goodes is, I definitely had a good chat to him when I was up with the indigenous camp and learnt a lot off him," Franklin said.

Goodes described Franklin as a fantastic young player.

"He's a very quiet and shy guy which you wouldn't think from the things that he can do on a football field, but that's just the way Buddy is and most indigenous players are," Goodes said.

"He knows his responsibility as a footballer, I don't think he needs to worry too much about his responsibility as a role model in the community.

"If he wants to be a role model that's his choice."

Franklin felt Hawthorn paid the price in last week's loss to Geelong for going away from their team rules and structures.

He said ruckman Robert Campbell and defender Stephen Gilham were in line to return for Saturday's game.

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