Lance Franklin to return from injury for final game at MCG

Only six players in VFL/AFL history have kicked more MCG goals than Buddy Franklin and the Swans star is set for one more match there.

Swans coach John Longmire with Lance Franklin, who is set for one last match at the MCG. Picture: Phil Hillyard

A two-pronged injection could be on the cards for the Sydney Swans, with superstar Lance Franklin and luckless defender Tom McCartin looming as inclusions for Thursday’s clash with Richmond.

Franklin, who hasn’t played since round 13, needs only to pull up well from a Monday training session to take his place against the Tigers for what could be his final appearance at the MCG.

The Swans would need to make the finals, which is unlikely, for Franklin to play at the MCG, where he has booted 340 goals – the seventh-most in AFL/VFL history, again.

Franklin was curiously booed by Collingwood supporters when he last played at the MCG in round 8 and Longmire said the 36-year-old, who is being managed through what looms as his last season, remained an important selection.

“It was always last week that if he’d done enough at training, and we sort of had to make the decision to do enough at training but not tip him over,” Longmire said.

“If you do too much at training, it might make him sore for the game a couple of days later, and we didn’t want to be in that position.

“Last week was about we’ll do enough that he needs to do to feel good. And that gives him the best chance to train today (Monday) and be available for selection this week, hopefully.

“The best-laid plans sometimes go south.”

Lance Franklin is set for a likely MVG swan song. Picture: Phil Hillyard

Franklin could potentially help straighten up Sydney’s goal kicking after a horror show in front of the big sticks proved costly in last week’s draw with Geelong.

Four days after the game, Sydney coach John Longmire has decided it was a “bad day at the office” and was loathed to delve into the pros and cons of the draw in the AFL, with the result again raising questions about the need for extra time.

The Swans kicked 5.18 against the Cats, including the final three points of the drawn match, but Longmire said his team wasn’t on its own in blowing chances n front of goal.

“You look at Melbourne for instance on the weekend, they got beat and kicked 5.15. So, it does happen.

“Our review was certainly around a lot of what we did right, and we did a hell of a lot right in that game.

“That was a good sign that we’re able to play good strong defensive footy, turn it into attack and have plenty of shots at goal (and) marks inside 50.

“We haven’t played a full four-quarter performance as often as what we should have, but we felt like the last couple of weeks in particular, against different opposition, we played pretty well.

Franklin last played at the MCG in round 8. Picture: Michael Klein

“If we keep our foundation up, which is the contest and pressure around the footy, that gives us a good chance.”

McCartin, who hasn’t played at AFL level since round 8 after concussion issues, has now played two VFL games and Longmire was hopeful he would return with Franklin.

“We’ll see how he goes (at training) and make a call probably tomorrow, he and Lance, see how they pull up from training and whether we need to pick them for this week,” he said.

“The good thing is if they both get through training, probably for the first time in a long time we’ll have some selection pressures which is terrific,” Longmire said.

“That’s what we want to get. We felt like the team on the weekend performed pretty strongly. We’ve got a couple of players that we can get back in the team if we need to as well.”