Trade Buddy? Tony Shaw says its time for Sydney to look at trading Lance Franklin

Collingwood’s salary cap space likely to hinge on the future of $1 million star Brodie Grundy and while trading Lance Franklin would be akin to selling the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Tony Shaw reckons the time is now.

To Swans fans it would be like selling the Sydney Harbour Bridge, but former AFL greats believe the time is right to trade Lance Franklin.

Collingwood legend Tony Shaw has led fresh calls out of Melbourne for Sydney to offload Franklin to shore-up its future, and urged his former club to consider bringing in the superstar.

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Sydney refused to comment on the speculation brewing south of the border about their $10 million man, after former Western Bulldogs captain Bob Murphy suggested “there’s a lot going on behind the scenes.”

The Swans’ poor start to the season has given rise to the theory their premiership window is almost closed, and Murphy says Franklin, 32, could adopt the mindset of NBA icon LeBron James and switch to a genuine contender where he might have one last tilt at a flag.

Don't look now, Swans fans, but Collingwood legend Tony Shaw says Lance Franklin would suit a Pies' guernsey. Picture: Digitally Altered Image

Shaw said if Sydney was to accept its ‘premiership window’ is about to shut, it could strike while the iron is hot on Franklin and trade him for top draft picks that could set the club up for another era of dominance.

Franklin has changed football in NSW forever, but Shaw said when push comes to shove, the AFL is about winning premierships.

“Buddy’s got four years left on his (nine-year) contract. A lot of things can happen in four years, but say, the next two years, do you think you can see the Sydney Swans winning a premiership?” Shaw told The Daily Telegraph.

Lance Franklin’s spectre looms large for Sydney. Picture: Phil Hillyard

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“They’ve been a fantastic club and things turn around … but I’m thinking maybe while Buddy still has a little bit to offer you can go the reverse and build for another couple of years down the track, long term and get some, I would think, very early draft picks.

“He might think it’s (a premiership) is going to happen there. But I just see some issues.”

Shaw said if Collingwood had the salary cap space, Franklin would be an ideal fit.

“I’d still think he’s got currency. As a matter of fact he’d probably suit my old side Collingwood if they could fit him in, but I don’t know if they could fit him in,” he said, with the Pies’ salary cap space likely to hinge on the future of $1 million star Brodie Grundy who becomes a free agent next year.

He’s not yet a fallen champ, but what will he be in four years time? Picture: Phil Hillyard

Shaw also questioned whether Franklin’s all-dominant presence in the Sydney forward line was impacting the development of other players.

“They’ve got some good young players but they’re going to lose some really top quality oldies too pretty shortly,” he said.

“Who has developed as another forward (at Sydney) while Buddy has been there?

“ … People say he’s been great for marketing, which he has been, but it’s more about premierships. That’s where I’m coming from.

“Buddy probably doesn’t want to go, I would think he’s planted up there pretty well and I don’t think it’d happen because it’d be too much of a big decision to make. But footy is a funny game.

“If you said Tom Lynch would end up at where he’s ended up (Richmond from Gold Coast) … Nothing surprises me today.”

Melbourne clubs, led by St Kilda, are also reportedly set to target the off-contract Zak Jones, who has been Sydney’s best player this season.