Buddy bombshell: Lance Franklin’s contract talks hit wall after lowball offer from Sydney

Sydney has two choices. Lift its contract offer to Lance Franklin or watch him walk to another club or into retirement. Mark Robinson has the exclusive details.

Lance Franklin will retire or move to a third AFL club if Sydney does not lift its lowball contract offer to the champion forward.

In a bombshell development, the Herald Sun has learnt the Swans’ offer to Franklin to play in 2023 is about $500,000, less than half of what he is being paid to play in 2022.

It’s understood Franklin is seeking a deal worth between $700,000 and $800,000, a figure the Swans have currently baulked at.

If 35-year-old Franklin is not paid what he believes he is worth, his career at the Swans will be over.

Franklin is open to a move back to Melbourne preferably, but has told friends he and his wife Jesinta, are prepared to move anywhere in Australia for him to continue to play football.

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Lance Franklin is out of contract at the end of the season. Picture: Getty Images

Retirement is also a strong option, although Franklin’s form this season would suggest he has at least another 12 months of footy in him.

Reports in June, saying Franklin was on the verge of signing a new contract, were incorrect and are understood to have perplexed the veteran forward.

Current talks with the club have not been abandoned, but certainly have hit a wall because of the disparity in financial terms.

Speculation is rife - and has been denied - that the Swans are making moves to recruit Dustin Martin to play in 2023.

Martin is scheduled to be paid in the vicinity of $1.3million next year.

The Swans have denied they have spoken to Martin’s manager, Ralph Carr, who is currently in Los Angeles on business.

It will be noted that whatever the club could save on a new Franklin deal would open their salary cap to a potential Martin deal.

The Swans have dismissed speculation surrounding the champion Tiger.

“I can unequivocally say there has been no conversations with Dustin and at the same time we appreciate the speculation,” Swans chief executive Tom Harley told the ABC Sport at the weekend.

“But from our point of view we certainly don’t deal in hypotheticals and I can say there has been no conversations.”

Franklin’s nine-year, $10million deal ends at the end of this season.

He became just the sixth player in the VFL/AFL history to kick 1000 career goals against Geelong in Round 2, and currently has 1029 goals to his name.

Lance Franklin will retire or move to a third AFL club if Sydney does not lift its contract offer. Picture: Phil Hillyard

The four-time Coleman Medallist has booted a team-high 34 goals in 14 games this year, the equal most for the Swans with Isaac Heeney.

The Franklins have previously discussed life after football.

Jesinta told Body+Soul in May they had discussed a move away from their adopted home city.

“I think there’s still a lot of good football left in him, but it’s our dream, whether that’s in five years or 10 years or whenever, to be able to live closer to one of the grandparents and have quality time with them,” Jesinta said.

Franklin’s parents live in Western Australia and Jesinta’s parents reside in Queensland.

Last night, Sydney’s head of football Charlie Gardiner told News Corp the club does not comment on contract talks.

Originally published as Buddy bombshell: Lance Franklin’s contract talks hit wall after lowball offer from Sydney