Grand Final week 2022: All the Geelong and Sydney news, preview and build-up

Sydney insists Lance Franklin’s focus on the Grand Final has not been shaken by the horrible allegations levelled against his former club.

Lance Franklin’s focus on Saturday’s Grand Final has not been shaken by the disturbing allegations levelled against former Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson and football boss Chris Fagan.

Franklin was at the Hawks from 2005-2013 and those nine seasons covered much of the era that the club’s report into its treatment of First Nations people investigated.

It is likely that he would’ve trained and played alongside some of the Indigenous youngsters who have told harrowing accounts of their treatment from senior Hawthorn officials.

But Swans assistant coach Jarrad McVeigh declared the distressing reports that surfaced just over 72 hours before Franklin’s sixth Grand Final had not impacted his preparation.

“I don’t think it is a distraction for ‘Bud’,” McVeigh said on Thursday.

“He’s fully focused on this week, he re-signed this week and I look forward to him playing well.

“The allegations are serious and concerning and we feel for all the parties involved.

“They are allegations at this point and it’s hard for us to comment, being away from the situation.

Alastair Clarkson and Lance Franklin during their time together at Hawthorn.

“The AFL has put together an investigation and we’ll see what comes of that.”

Franklin, who this week re-signed for an encore season in what was a joyous announcement for the football world, is plotting to secure his first premiership as a Swan.

He is set to line up on 204cm defender Sam De Koning for the first time. The 21-year-old was just three years old when Franklin was drafted by the Hawks with the No.5 pick in 2004.

De Koning ranks No.3 in the AFL for intercept marks in defensive 50m and Steven May’s ability to pick off entries directed at Franklin helped him earn best-afield honours in the qualifying final.

BLUES LEGEND TO PRESENT MEDAL TO PREMIERSHIP COACH

Glenn McFarlane

Australian Football Hall of Fame Legend and Carlton great John Nicholls will present the Jock McHale Medal to the winning coach – either Geelong’s Chris Scott or Sydney’s John Longmire – after Saturday’s AFL grand final.

It will come 50 years after Nicholls led the Blues as captain-coach to the 1972 premiership – his third flag as a player, but his one and only as captain-coach.

The 83-year-old said he was honoured to hand over the medal to either Scott or Longmire.

“It is an honour. I’ve always regarded myself as a very loyal VFL-AFL person and if I get asked to do these things, you do them,” Nicholls told the Herald Sun.

“It is something you feel you should do. I am a bit older and it is going to be hard work for me at the end of the day, but I feel obligated to help out.”

John Nichols with the Jock McHale medal. Picture: Rob Leeson

Nicholls said Geelong deserved to be favourites, but stressed Saturday’s game was a legitimate “50-50 contest”.

“Geelong are the favourites, but Sydney in the last four or five games have been unbelievable.

“John Longmire has done a great job, their tackling and their pressure is ferocious. Everyone is a goer in that team.

“I wouldn’t choose one team over the other as I respect both teams so much.”

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Originally published as Grand Final week 2022: All the Geelong and Sydney news, preview and build-up