AFL Richmond v Sydney: All the latest news, updates, previews ahead of the Round 3 clash

Lance Franklin returned in style in Round 2 but can he back up against Richmond? Hear the latest from John Longmire plus Damien Hardwick’s candid admission.

Lance Franklin made a welcome return to footy over the weekend against Adelaide. Picture: Ryan Pierse/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

Sydney coach John Longmire has stopped short of guaranteeing Lance Franklin will back up from his return game to face reigning premier Richmond on Saturday.

Franklin’s first match in 19 months saw him boot three goals in a second-straight strong win for the Swans, who are the talk of the AFL with their swag of rising stars.

Franklin’s first game since Round 23 in 2019 came at the end of a week when he and wife Jesinta welcomed their second child into the world.

Importantly, Franklin appears to have pulled up well from the 33-point win over Adelaide, but what he’s able to complete this week will determine his availability.

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Another factor is there are only five days between Sydney’s Round 3 and 4 matches, the second of them a clash with Essendon at the SCG.

“We’ve got a bit of a framework of (when Franklin will play), but the real specifics will be guided by what he does during the week and if he’s able to hit the testing he needs to do and the strength work,” Longmire said.

“We won’t put him at risk, so we’ll use that as an underlying philosophy.

“It was a good week for him – a fantastic week for he and Jess – and to be able to get to the stage where with 10 minutes to go we could look after him and get him right (was a great result).”

Lance Franklin made a successful return against Adelaide.

Longmire said the lure of Franklin sharing the field with the Tigers’ own superstar, Dustin Martin, would not play a role in whether the forward plays.

James Rowbottom (knee) is also no certainty to take on Richmond after sitting out the Crows game, but Jordan Dawson (hip) is expected to be OK.

Longmire said he was looking forward to the “wonderful” learning experience, in victory or defeat, against the powerhouse Tigers.

He kept mum on his plans for Martin, but was effusive in his praise of the triple Norm Smith medallist.

“His record sits absolutely up there. His performances in Grand Finals are unique – they don’t compare to anyone, do they? They’re just extraordinary,” Longmire said.

“He’s as good a big-game, one-on-one player as I’ve seen and he continually puts it out there and plays well all the time, and he’s a challenge against the opposition.”

DIMMA ADMITS: ‘I WAS OUT OF LINE’

Damien Hardwick says Nick Vlastuin and Bachar Houli could both return for Round 3 as he praised the Swans’ stunning scoring power a year on from his Swans slap-down.

Hardwick’s Tigers held a determined Hawthorn at bay at the MCG to set up a mouth-watering clash against John Longmire’s Swans.

Last year he was forced to apologise to a furious Longmire after saying their “foldback” game style had led to a “horrible” game with a “farcical” level of scoring.

Longmire called those comments “unnecessary and unwarranted”, with his young Swans having kicked scores of 19.11 and 18.13 in the first two weeks of the new season.

Hardwick laughed when those comments were brought up after the 29-point victory but he won’t be taking the high-octane Swans lightly.

“We have made up, me and ‘Horse’. Gee they are kicking goals aren’t they? That was something last year where I was out of line and expressed my remorse and “Horse’ took it as well as he could,” he said.

John Longmire and Damien Hardwick will meet in Round 3, with both sides unbeaten to start the season.

“At the end of the day they are 2-0 versus us as 2-0 and it’s going to be a great game.

“Hopefully our fans come out to support us and I am sure they will rock the ‘G next Saturday.

“It’s going to be exciting to see our fans back at the ‘G with 75 per cent (capacity).”

“They are good, aren’t they, the Swans. I watched them yesterday, they are bloody exciting to watch.

“I got up on the couch yesterday like the rest of Australia when Big Bud (Buddy Franklin) got that goal.

“They have some incredible youngsters, they are an exciting team to watch. I can’t wait for our boys to hopefully rise to the challenge.”

Nick Vlastuin could return for Richmond against Sydney. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Vlastuin missed the Hawks victory after hyperextending his knee in Round 1, while Houli (calf) is almost ready after a summer calf injury that he suffered in last year’s Grand Final.

“We are pretty conservative with those injuries this early in the year,” said Hardwick of the Vlastuin knee injury.

“He will play next week and he comes in fresh for a six-day break.

“ (Houli) will push for this week. You have got to look at the way the game is played and how it will suit a player of his capabilities.

“It’s good to get a game at VFL level but it’s going to be very hard to leave him out when the game looks as it does.”

Trent Cotchin returned from gastro while Jack Riewoldt (four goals) again held sway and Dustin Martin (28 possessions, one goal) backed up their Round 1 performances.

Martin gave off two point-blank goals but was tagged by footy’s oldest player Shaun Burgoyne and turned over the football three times early before a strong finish.