Senior Swans join dad-to-be Lance Franklin at pre-season training
Lance Franklin is in ripping shape at pre-season training and Swans coach John Longmire is already predicting a big 2020 from Buddy. But there is one complication for the father to be.
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The Sydney Swans are anxiously awaiting the arrival of Lance Franklin and wife Jesinta’s baby, which is due just before the side’s opening match of the 2020 season.
While the pair are keeping the delivery date under wraps, it’s believed it will be just weeks out from the Swans’ trip to Adelaide, where they’ll face the Crows on March 21.
But before Franklin has to start worrying about nappies, he will continue to help bring on the Swans’ talented crop of “babies” as they look to continue their impressive growth.
With the likes of Jarrad McVeigh, Kieren Jack, Heath Grundy and Nick Smith having called it a day at the end of last season, Franklin is now the Swans’ oldest player. Whether a formal leadership role is forthcoming remains to be seen, but coach John Longmire says the experienced forward’s actions mean he’s already delivering what’s needed.
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Franklin has returned to pre-season in great shape and has been training for two weeks before he was joined today by the remainder of the senior group for the first time.
“It’s unusual, we haven’t seen him running around like this, certainly since he’s been here, so it’s great to have him back training,” Longmire said of Franklin.
“He’s looking in really good condition at the moment and probably as light as he has been at this time of year. If you get a solid base, the chances are you’re able to give yourself the best opportunity to have a strong season, not only performance-wise but injury-wise.”
The Swans coach said there was every likelihood Franklin would be back in full training before Christmas, but would continue to be carefully monitored.
As for a formal leadership role, Longmire said: “We’ll wait and see how that progresses, but he does it anyway. He’s as invested as any player we’ve got on our list.”
Franklin, Sam Reid and Luke Parker all had off-season surgery, but all are back and getting some serious work in.
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“It’s not only the earliest we’ve been back for a while, but also the most amount of numbers we’ve had on the track for quite a long time,” Longmire said.
“The playing group has come back in really good condition and we’ve only got a handful or less in our rehab group and all of them we hope to be up and training before Christmas. That’s a significant difference than we’ve had in recent years.”
After a session in which Jordan Dawson claimed the dreaded first day time-trial, Longmire said he was confident there would be no problem with small forward Tom Papley, who saw his off season request for a trade to Melbourne come to nothing.
“I can only go from what I’ve seen,” Longmire said. “He’s terrific. He’s come back in good nick. He almost got his PB in his run this morning. That’s a really good sign. He comes back and jumps right into it. He’s a really enthusiastic, popular member of our footy team and he’s a professional.
“You very much turn from a rear view look into what’s happening out the front window. You start looking ahead pretty quickly.”
