Glen Jakovich on how a footy rivalry like Rance v Franklin takes hold
GLEN Jakovich and Wayne Carey were the ultimate forward-defender match up. The gun Eagles defender breaks down football’s modern day version as Lance Franklin tackles Alex Rance tomorrow night.
AFL News
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
GLEN Jakovich would chalk the wins and learn from the losses.
The legendary West Coast Eagles defender’s battles with champion North Melbourne forward Wayne Carey was one of the stories of the 1990s.
“I would be filled with excitement and obviously anxiety, because you’re playing on the best player in the competition,” Jakovich told the Herald Sun this week.
TRELOAR HOPE: MAGPIES MIDFIELDER IN DOUBT FOR SEASON
HYSTERIA OVER THE TOP: CAMERON HIT CAUSES A STIR
FREE KICK KINGS: AND IT’S NOT HAWTHORN
“You knew you had to get the job done.”
Tonight the latest chapter in football’s great modern rivalry will unfold at Etihad Stadium when the game’s best fullback, Alex Rance, comes up against its most brilliant forward, Lance Franklin.
It’s a duel that even captivates coaches.
“The old Rance Franklin,” Richmond coach Damien Hardwick chimed earlier this week when asked about the match-up.
“We always get a laugh out of it at match committee ever year, Leppa (assistant coach Justin Leppitsch) comes up with the same joke, it’s amazing,” Hardwick said.
“Alex plays full back, (Franklin) probably plays a traditional full-forward role, we’re going to see that at various stages, but Alex will play on whoever’s down there.
“They’re two great players aren’t they? So once again, it’s worth the price of admission to come and see those guys.”
Jakovich has a great love of one-on-one contests.
“Not only just my battle, but Dougy Hawkins and DiPierdomenico off the wings, as a young teenager when I used to watch that I used to get wound up and thrilled and excited to watch that,” he said.
“Peter Knights and Paul Vander Haar — funny enough I ended up emulating a similar battle with Wayne Carey.
“You always had great battles with great midfielders, Robert Harvey and Shane Crawford … we don’t see a lot of that any more because they play a 360 game these days.”
There’s hype surrounding Rance v Franklin and it’s something Jakovich knows all about.
He admits he let it get the better of him one day.
“I think it was the second or third time, it was a massive game at the MCG I did so many interviews, did the Footy Show, did the whole box and dice and in the end it cost me,” Jakovich said.
“I was pretty exhausted and mentally fatigued because I was worried about my individual role with Wayne. But I was 20 years of age, pretty young. You’re pretty naive.
“Even after that the battles got bigger … I had a pretty good mindset and rigid preparation program.
“The only time I’d really get wound up for it was when I was about to run down the race to take him on.
“And I learnt that from a poor experience, poor preparation. I got caught up in the media like everyone else did.”
Former Eagles coach Mick Malthouse pushed Jakovich to embrace the challenge of playing on Carey.
Malthouse gave Jakovich a stern talking to after his first battle with the King at Subiaco, saying Carey had embarrassed him in front of his family and friends.
“He was very firm,” Jakovich said.
“He probably believed I could do the job. He had to extract that out of me. He had to make me believe that I could do it.
“I mean, watching Wayne Carey’s previous games leading into your game was pretty daunting, when he’s kicking five, six and taking 18 marks, you’re the next victim on his hit list.”
“I guess that’s why I probably had a little bit of I guess a good period against Wayne because I was (like) ‘right, I’m not going to sit on this, I’m going to try to extend this to two or three battles in a row’.
“That’s what Mick kept challenging me about.”
Jakovich said while he didn’t expect Rance to spend much time on Franklin tonight, when the superstars aligned it would be captivating.
“Buddy has got his flair and I guess Rance has got brute strength one on one,” Jakovich said.
“I dare say Rance has Buddy well covered in the aerial contests and one-on-one when they post up, but around the ground and football smarts, Buddy will show him a clean pair of heels.”
GAME ON
Source: CHAMPION DATA
Originally published as Glen Jakovich on how a footy rivalry like Rance v Franklin takes hold
Port fans left in dark about succession plan stunner
Ken Hinkley and Port Adelaide’s top brass have remained quiet — at least publicly — after news broke of a impending coaching succession plan. MATT TURNER has the latest.
The emotional moment Petracca truth became clear
There is no doubt what Christian Petracca went through last year had the star questioning his future. But Simon Goodwin knew in December – his star was back and ready to get even better.