Where was Sydney recruit Lance Franklin promoting the derby against GWS, writes Mark Robinson
THERE was bemusement from Greater Western Sydney when Lance Franklin did not appear at a presser promoting tonight’s game between the Sydney sides.
THERE was bemusement on Thursday from Greater Western Sydney staff when Lance Franklin did not appear at a presser promoting tonight’s game between the Sydney sides.
In what would have been a terrific jolt for the code, GWS was expecting Franklin to talk; but instead the Swans sent Rhys Shaw and Ted Richards.
Fine fellows they are, but Franklin might have generated back page news.
But, no, it didn’t happen and the feeling at GWS was that it was a wasted opportunity for the code.
That’s the polite way to put it.
The more sinister theory is that Franklin did not want to confront GWS coach Leon Cameron and chief executive David Matthews.
There’s lingering angst about Franklin’s move to Sin City. GWS believes it was duped to some extent by Franklin and his manager Liam Pickering; so much so that even in Grand Final week, GWS was workshopping how best to announce it had signed the biggest name in the game.
So imagine the Giants’ response when they learned, five days later, Sydney had trumped them with a nine-year, $10 million offer.
GWS deserved to feel confident. The Giants were not aware Pickering had contacted the Swans about Franklin in October 2012, or that Franklin had a meeting with Swans coach John Longmire and chief executive Andrew Ireland in January, 2013.
Their own communications with Franklin were positive. GWS and Pickering first spoke about this time last year and then made it more formal when they met at the Melbourne home of GWS recruiting boss Stephen Silvagni in May.
At that meeting were Matthews, GWS football manager Graeme Allan, Silvagni, Pickering and Franklin.
Franklin told them he was genuine in his thinking about leaving Hawthorn, but GWS was also told that Sydney was an option, because it had a greater chance of success in the foreseeable future.
In response, GWS made an offer of $1.2 million annually for six years — with the likelihood of ambassadorial coin from the AFL.
The interesting thing is GWS was made to believe that Franklin had doubts about his long-term ability to play the game, meaning GWS believed it was pushing the envelope by offering as much as six years.
So when the nine-year offer from Sydney was snapped up, GWS was stunned.
Understandably, the Giants asked themselves if they had been played like a chump. Did Pickering lever GWS to get a monster offer from Sydney?
That said, Pickering’s job was to do best by his client and despite the $7.2 million from GWS, could anyone have predicted the Swans dropping the $10 million bomb?
Still, up until the Grand Final, GWS thought it was in it up to its ears.
So much so that coach-in-waiting Cameron and Franklin had several conversations throughout 2013 — and never once was there an indication that GWS was not the preferred club.
Of everyone at GWS, it was Cameron who was most disappointed by the events that took place.
It would certainly have made a Franklin appearance at Thursday’s press conference a touch awkward.
Despite moving on and allocating Franklin’s money to Mumford, Shaw and Hunt, there are some at GWS who believe Cameron was at least owed a phone call from Franklin and given an explanation of what happened.
Others would argue that GWS shouldn’t be so precious, that AFL football is kill or be killed and, on this occasion, the Giants flatlined.
Clearly the events of last year have fuelled the rivalry between GWS and the Swans.
Last year it was all about the Battle for Buddy. Today it’s the Battle of the Bridge.
But who will be the bigger winner in the long run?
The Giants who were snubbed, or the Swans who splashed the cash and the years?
Let the battle begin.