The Sydney Swans are keen to extend Lance Franklin‘s contract, with his bumper nine-year deal expiring at the end of this year.
When Franklin left Hawthorn to join the Swans on the monster $10 million deal at the end of the 2013 season, the move was met with raised eyebrows, with many pundits believing the high-flying forward would not make it to the end of the contract.
However, despite Franklin enduring his fair share of injury problems over the past few seasons, both the Swans and the 35-year-old are now keen to extend their partnership beyond the original terms of the deal.
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“He’s looking fantastically fit so I think we’re pretty keen to extend him if that’s what he wants to do, and I think it is,” Swans president Andrew Pridham told the Seven Network.
“We’re just really looking forward to him kicking his 1000th goal.”
Franklin enjoyed a tremendous return to form in 2021, playing 18 games and kicking 51 goals, his highest mark since the 2018 season, as he spearheaded the Swans back into an unlikely top-eight spot.
The eight-time All-Australian currently has 995 goals in 318 games and is poised to become the sixth man in VFL/AFL history to break the magical 1000-goal barrier in the early part of the season.
Franklin will join fellow Swans great Tony Lockett as well as Gordon Coventry, Jason Dunstall, Doug Wade and Gary Ablett Sr in the exclusive club.