AFL chairman Mike Fitzpatrick says he was ‘quite disappointed’ Lance Franklin went to Sydney

AFL chairman Mike Fitzpatrick has admitted he was “quite disappointed” Lance Franklin went to powerhouse Sydney rather than the fledgling Giants.

Lance Franklin left Hawthorn to join Sydney. Picture: Getty Images.

AFL chairman Mike Fitzpatrick has admitted he was “quite disappointed” Lance Franklin went to powerhouse Sydney rather than the fledgling Giants.

In a move that led to the abolition of the controversial cost of living allowance (COLA), Franklin stunned the AFL when he signed the nine-year $10 million deal to join the 2012 premiers

The COLA allowance gave the Swans and Giants an extra $1 million in their salary cap and was designed to help lower-paid players from the two Sydney clubs cope with the added expense of living in the north.

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But Fitzpatrick conceded the Franklin deal was proof the extra salary cap money was in fact being used to attract top-tier talent.

Lance Franklin has been a standout for Sydney. Picture: Getty Images.

“I was quite disappointed (Franklin chose the Swans),” Fitzpatrick said on ABC.

“I reckon at the time I was the last defender of COLA . because I felt expansion in the north was really important.

“And the basic argument was about whether COLA was used to get elite players or whether it was used for subsiding the difficulties the players further down the line had in terms of rent and cost of living.

“And that (Franklin) announcement convinced me I had been wrong for a long time.”

Collingwood president Eddie McGuire campaigned heavily against the COLA allowance which has been gradually phased out since 2014.

Fitzpatrick said Franklin’s decision to leave Hawthorn for Sydney was a surprise, but believed the star goalkicker’s impact had still been enormous in the northern market.

GWS Giants play their first AFL final against rival Sydney Swans at ANZ Stadium on Saturday.

“If he (Franklin) moved, I felt that (GWS) was the right place for him and if COLA worked the way I thought it worked, Sydney was probably out of the equation,” he said.

Lance Franklin celebrates a goal. Picture: Getty Images.

“The best thing that happened, either way, was that he went to Sydney because I was confident the Giants had enough talent anyway.

“The fact the he didn’t go there may have slowed them (Giants) up for a year or two, but maybe not.

“Whereas, having someone of that talent in the Sydney market has just been terrific for us.

“A bit like having Tony Lockett in that market. Every now and then you have someone who transcends the sport.”