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Former Hawthorn star Jordan Lewis said Collingwood and Fremantle should chase his ex-teammate Lance Franklin, who he believes is still in the ‘s top five forwards despite the Swans asking him to take a huge pay cut to stay at the club.
Franklin’s $10million, nine-year deal with finishes at the end of the season and Sydney have reportedly told him they’ll only give him $500,000 to play in 2023.
‘Buddy’ Franklin embraces teammate Jordan Lewis after a 2013 clash with the Magpies at the MCG.Lewis believes the Swans star should still command top dollar in the AFL
Franklin’s wife Jesinta (pictured together) recently completed a course and exam to become an AFL player agent — giving her the green light to get involved in contract negotiations
Lewis was stunned by the standoff, which has Franklin considering a switch to a new team or retirement from footy, because he believes his mate remains one of the top goal scorers in the competition despite his age.
The news comes soon after Franklin’s model wife Jesinta completed a three-day course and exam administered by the AFL Player’s Association to become a professional agent, giving her the green light to get involved in contract negotiations.
She has also revealed it’s the couple’s ‘dream’ to get out of Sydney and move to be closer to their children’s grandparents, who live in Western Australia and on the Gold Coast.
Lewis said his 2008 and 2013 premiership-winning teammate is a mainstay in the AFL’s top five forwards and should be paid accordingly.
‘It has come as a little bit of a shock to me,’ he said on AFL 360.
‘We are happy to pay 20-year-olds, Bahis sitesi Yazilimi 21-year-olds who haven’t yet proved themselves well and above what they have earnt to be paid on potential.
‘He has shown it year on year to be able to command big dollars, and he is still showing it to me — and, I think, the wider football community — that he can still command top dollar.’
He might be 35, but Franklin has proved he is still deadly with the boot, scoring 34 goals in 14 games as the Swans stay in the hunt for the top four
Lewis believes Buddy’s experience would be a perfect fit for the Magpies and Dockers, who need a player of his stature to give them the sort of boost they need to become threats for the flag in 2023.
‘The obvious ones for me who we speak about and they’re crying out for not only a key position player, but a very good key position player, are Collingwood and Fremantle,’ Lewis said.
AFL legend Eddie Betts said Franklin is worth the contract dough because he puts ‘bums on seats’.
Franklin steps in to kick his 1000th goal in the AFL, becoming just the sixth player to reach the incredible milestone
Franklin salutes the crowd after fans flooded the field when he kicked his 1000th goal against Geelong in round two
On Wednesday, Swans CEO Tom Harley said he’s not concerned that the club doesn’t have a new deal in place with Franklin at this point in the season.
Asked if he wanted the former Hawk to finish his career with Sydney, Harley replied: ‘There’s no doubt about that’ — but refused to confirm whether the star had been asked to take a huge pay cut.
However, he did shoot down rumours that the Swans want to replace Franklin with Richmond superstar Dustin Martin.
Buddy has slotted 34 goals for Sydney this season and became the just the sixth player in AFL/VFL history to kick 1000 majors when he accomplished the feat against Geelong in round two.
It’s believed Franklin is seeking a contract worth between $700,000 to $800,000 a season — which is still a significant pay cut.
Franklin has kicked 449 goals in his time with the Swans and helped drive the club to two grand finals, but Lewis believes he has also proved vital in helping young prospects grow into game winners.