Sydney superstar Lance Franklin admits he was personally affected by watching Adam Goodes documentary

Lance Franklin was playing alongside Adam Goodes for most of his tumultuous final chapter in the AFL but admits it wasn’t until watching a new documentary that he realised the full force of the hurricane.

Adam Goodes and Lance Franklin. Picture: Phil Hillyard

Lance Franklin was playing alongside Adam Goodes for most of his tumultuous final chapter in the AFL but admits it wasn’t until watching a new documentary that he realised the full force of the hurricane.

The Sydney superstar has revealed he found it “difficult to watch” the soon-to-be-­released film that documents one of the ugliest episodes in Australian sport.

Many might think Franklin would be one of the least shocked given he lived through most of the controversy as the Swans’ other indigenous figurehead.

But when Swans players and coaching staff were given an advanced screening of the documentary The Final Quarter at a pre-season training camp, Franklin was floored by the magnitude of the abuse and scrutiny Goodes was subjected to.

“I think a lot of people will be taken aback by the documentary,” Franklin said.

“I think it was surprising for a lot of players, even guys who had played with him through that period, just the amount of media on it.

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“It was really hard for me to watch. It was difficult for all the guys at the footy club to watch.

“It just shows you what a strong character Goodesy is and it just speaks volumes of the person he is, too.

“It was difficult to watch but the one thing I hope it does do is educate people and then we can learn from this situation. That’s the biggest thing.”

Wednesday is D-Day for Franklin, who must get through a full training session at Moore Park to prove his fitness for Friday night’s Marn Grook blockbuster against Collingwood at the SCG.

He is desperate to make a return from a month-long hamstring injury.

Adam Goodes and Lance Franklin were extremely close. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

Franklin said the annual Marn Grook centrepiece was his most sacred match of the season but he insisted the importance of the occasion and his presence as one of the biggest indigenous role models in the AFL wouldn’t be factors when he made a final decision on his fitness.

“Not at all,” he said. “I’ve been trying to get back for the last four weeks, but unfortunately my body hasn’t enabled me to do that.

“I’ll be doing my hardest to get out there this week.

“It’s my favourite round. It’s such an amazing round, it really is, and I would love to be out there.

“Fingers crossed everything goes really well for me Wednesday and I’m able to do the jumper and my people proud.”

Had Franklin not missed a game this season, this Friday night’s special occasion would have fittingly staged his 300th AFL match. But that milestone will have to wait another few weeks.

“To play my 300th on indigenous round would have been huge. It’s not to be, unfortunately,” he said.

Fellow Swan Luke Parker said the atmosphere in the room was tense when players and staff gathered to watch the Goodes documentary.

Adam Goodes and Lance Franklin were even close as opponents.

“The documentary was two things,” Parker said.

“It was pretty confronting to see where Australia still is. Unfortunately.

“And the other side of things is also how there are so many people that did support Adam through that time, and to see the fans and community come together the way they did was a really special moment.

“Unfortunately, you still have those figureheads who are so powerful in the media that continue to have a say on these issues.

“But in saying that, it was really inspirational to see the way Adam handled the whole thing and the way the Swans family came together.”

Originally published as Sydney superstar Lance Franklin admits he was personally affected by watching Adam Goodes documentary