Is Lance Franklin to blame for Sydney snubbing Joe Daniher?

An Essendon legend believes star forward Joe Daniher is set to walk out the door and join forces with a current finals playings club.

Is Sydney gun shy because of its recent Buddy troubles?

Essendon legend Tim Watson has questioned whether Sydney went cold on Joe Daniher because of Lance Franklin’s injury troubles as the key forward seeks a move away from Melbourne.

Daniher wanted to leave the Bombers at the end of last season — with Sydney his preferred destination — but Essendon denied the left-footer’s request and he remained at Tullamarine in 2020.

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Daniher returned late in the season but the injury-plagued star has still only managed 15 games in three seasons as he faces constant battles with his body.

He wants to leave Essendon and all signs point to the restricted free agent joining Brisbane next year.

The Swans were interested in luring Daniher to the Harbour City in late 2019 but have made no such moves for him this time around, leading Watson to wonder whether the Bloods are gun shy about recruiting another key position player with a history of injuries because of their recent experiences with Franklin.

Franklin moved to Sydney from Hawthorn on a monster nine-year deal worth $10 million, which he signed at the end of 2013. But injuries have limited his game time lately, hamstring and groin issues preventing the goal-kicking machine from getting on the field at all in 2020.

Watson also wondered whether the Swans were eyeing off snatching gun forward Jeremy Cameron from cross-town rivals GWS.

“The interesting thing for me — why do you think Sydney’s (interest) has dropped off in Joe Daniher?” Watson said on SEN Breakfast.

“I think they probably have (another player in mind). Jeremy Cameron’s name has been bandied about, he doesn’t want to leave NSW so the only place he can go if he doesn’t want to leave (NSW) is the Sydney Swans.

“The whole Buddy Franklin thing, has it played on the minds of the Sydney Swans?

“‘Here we are paying this bloke a lot of money, his body is defying him at the moment and how silly would we look if we brought someone else in who has had trouble with an injury over a period of time as well’.”

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Daniher is looking like he’ll join the Lions.

Franklin has been hamstrung this year.

Watson believes a move is in store for Daniher, with the Bombers legend pinpointing the Lions as his new destination.

“I absolutely think that he’s definitely going, in all the feedback I got (on Wednesday) about him,” Watson said.

“I think he’ll end up (at) Brisbane – and they’ve been talking to him for some time.”

Elsewhere, Adam Saad is still undecided about whether to stay at Essendon or explore the market.

Several Melbourne clubs are chasing the rebounding defender as it emerged yesterday the Bombers had upped their offer to a whopping five years in a bid to keep the 26-year-old on their books.

Carlton is in the hunt for Saad’s signature and Channel 7’s Tom Browne told the Triple M Hot Breakfast the Blues had offered the footy star a car as part of their deal.

The Age reports Essendon would ask for Carlton’s first-round draft pick if any trade were to eventuate.

Meanwhile, Dons icon Matthew Lloyd believes St Kilda is chasing Giants midfielder Tim Taranto even though he is contracted to GWS until the end of 2022.

“I believe that they will make Tim Taranto the No. 1 magnet that they’re after in this trade period to get across to the Saints to assist Jack Steele,” Lloyd said on Channel 9’s Footy Classified.

“He’s the one who they’ve got their eyes on.”

Veteran footy journalist Caroline Wilson backed up Lloyd’s claim the Saints were keen on Taranto, who won the Giants’ best-and-fairest award last year.

Adelaide’s Rory Atkins is set to join former teammate Hugh Greenwood on the Gold Coast after agreeing to a four-year deal with the Suns, The Age reports.