How Buddy’s aura silenced cheeky Hawk Ginnivan as former Hawk champion welcomed back

Lance Franklin has been welcomed back into the fold for Hawthorn, with the champion goalkicker leaving young current Hawks starstruck.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – APRIL 28: Lance Franklin is presented with a gift by Hawks President Andrew Gowers during the 2024 AFL Round 07 match between the Hawthorn Hawks and the Sydney Swans at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on April 28, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Lance Franklin says he felt “goosebumps” as his return to the Hawthorn fold continued on Sunday after the goalkicking great addressed his Hawks players before the clash with Sydney.

The 1066-goal legend retired last year and was at the MCG on Sunday to see his two old sides, the Hawks and Swans, face off.

Franklin said the warm ovation from Hawks fans gave him “goosebumps”.

“I wanted to come back here and thank the Hawthorn fans, you guys have been unbelievable,” he told the crowd at half-time.

Franklin was called on stage during Hawthorn’s president’s function pre-match and handed a piece of memorabilia containing both Hawthorn and Sydney No.23 jumpers that he famously wore in 354 games.

The typically shy Franklin told the crowd at the luncheon he wasn’t much of a public speaker as he sheepishly took his gift.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – APRIL 28: Lance Franklin is presented with a gift by Hawks President Andrew Gowers during the 2024 AFL Round 07 match between the Hawthorn Hawks and the Sydney Swans at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on April 28, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Franklin made his return to Waverley on Saturday, for the first time since he left the Hawks for the Swans at the end of 2013.

Franklin told players and staff it was great to be back with his kids, at the club where he grew from a skinny teen to a nation-wide superstar.

“It’s nice to be back here,” he told the MCG crowd and FoxFooty on Sunday.

“I spent nine years playing at this great football club (Hawthorn), then spent another 10 years playing at another great football club.”

The two-time premiership Hawk held a Q&A session with current players and the room was uncharacteristically quiet as the star struck young Hawks – including childhood fan Jack Ginnivan - quickly ran dry on questions.

Hawthorn footy boss Rob McCartney said Franklin was an “absolute icon” of the Hawks.

“He just looked really comfortable being back in the fold at Hawthorn, that was really nice for us,” he told 3AW.

Lance Franklin ahead of the game between Hawthorn and Sydney. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

“A number of our players, Dylan Moore and Jack Scrimshaw, they were Hawthorn supporters as kids … it was very much a day of those boys seeing up close and personal for the first time – apart from playing against him – an absolute icon of our football club.

“It was interesting, it went to questions at the end and the boys were star struck … Jack Ginnivan chewing his fingernails and not being able to open his mouth to ask a question, which is the first time for Jack.

“It was just really special.”

Franklin strolled around in front of the adoring MCG crowd with his kids as well as Jordan Lewis and Jarryd Roughead’s children.

The three Hawks greats were drafted together in 2004.

Originally published as How Buddy’s aura silenced cheeky Hawk Ginnivan as former Hawk champion welcomed back