Lance Franklin facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids Lance Franklin
Franklin playing for Sydney in 2017
Personal information
Full name	Lance Franklin
Nickname(s)	Buddy
Date of birth	(1987-01-30) 30 January 1987 (age 38)
Place of birth	Perth, Western Australia
Original team	Perth (WAFL)
Draft	No. 5, 2004 national draft
Debut	Round 1, 2005, Hawthorn v. Sydney, at the Sydney Cricket Ground
Position(s)	Key forward
Career highlights
2× AFL premiership player: 2008, 2013 8× All-Australian team: 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018 (c) 4× Coleman Medal: 2008, 2011, 2014, 2017 Peter Crimmins Medal: 2008 6× Hawthorn leading goalkicker: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 7× Sydney leading goalkicker: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022 3× Brett Kirk Medal: 2017 (game 2), 2018 (game 2), 2021 (game 1) 2× Goodes–O'Loughlin Medal: 2017, 2022 2× AFL Goal of the Year: 2010, 2013 AFL Rising Star nominee: 2005

Lance Franklin (born 30 January 1987), also known as Buddy Franklin, is a famous former professional Australian rules football player. He played in the Australian Football League (AFL). Buddy played for the Hawthorn Football Club from 2005 to 2013. Then he joined the Sydney Swans from 2014 until he retired in 2023.

Many people think Franklin is the best forward of his time. He is also considered one of the greatest players ever. He kicked an amazing 1,066 goals in his career. This is the fourth-highest number of goals in VFL/AFL history! He was his club's top goalkicker 13 times. He also kicked at least 50 goals in 13 different seasons. Franklin was chosen for the All-Australian team eight times. He won four Coleman Medals for kicking the most goals in a season. His best year was 2008 with Hawthorn, when he kicked 113 goals.

Franklin won two AFL championships (called premierships) with Hawthorn. He also received four All-Australian selections and two Coleman Medals while at Hawthorn. He was Hawthorn's top goalkicker for six years in a row. He also won the AFL Goal of the Year twice. In 2013, after winning his second premiership, Franklin moved to the Sydney Swans. He signed a big nine-year deal. With Sydney, he earned four more All-Australian selections and two more Coleman Medals. He was Sydney's top goalkicker for his first five seasons there. Despite some injuries, Franklin played 354 games. He reached 300 games in 2019 and 1,000 goals in 2022.

Buddy Franklin's Early Life

Franklin was born in Perth, Western Australia. His family has Indigenous Australian heritage, specifically Noongar-Wajuk. He grew up in Dowerin. His father, Lance Sr., played hockey for Victoria and Western Australia. His mother, Ursula, is Aboriginal. His sister, Bianca Giteau, played professional netball. His uncle is Derek Kickett, and his cousins include former footballers Jeff Garlett and Dale Kickett.

When he was 15, Franklin received a sports scholarship. He attended Wesley College in Perth. In 2004, he played one senior game for the Perth Football Club. He also represented Western Australia in the 2004 AFL Under 18 Championships.

Buddy's AFL Career Journey

Playing for Hawthorn (2005–2013)

First Season in 2005

Hawthorn chose Franklin with their fifth pick in the 2004 AFL Draft. He made his first AFL appearance in Round 1 of the 2005 season. This game was against Sydney at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Franklin showed great potential, kicking 21 goals in 20 games that year.

Promising Signs in 2006

Franklin had some early injuries in 2006. But he returned to play in Round 9. In Round 12, he kicked six goals against Richmond. This was a big game for him. He signed a new two-year deal with Hawthorn in July 2006. Another six-goal game later that season made people predict he would be a future AFL star.

Breakout Season in 2007

Franklin kicking for goal against Essendon in 2007

In 2007, Franklin kicked 63 goals during the regular season. He finished third in the Coleman Medal race. He kicked a career-high nine goals against Essendon in Round 6. In the finals, he kicked seven goals in his first final game. This helped Hawthorn win against the Adelaide Crows. He was Hawthorn's top goalkicker for the first time.

113 Goals and First Premiership in 2008

Thousands of supporters take to the field after Franklin kicked his 100th goal for the 2008 season, in round 22 against Carlton

The 2008 season was Franklin's best. He became one of the league's top players. He won his first Coleman Medal with 102 goals in the regular season. He kicked nine goals against Essendon in Round 11. He also played for the Dream Team, kicking four goals.

Franklin kicked his 100th goal for the season in Round 22 against Carlton. He was the first player since 1998 to kick 100 goals in a season. Fans rushed onto the field to celebrate with him. He was also the first Aboriginal player to achieve this. He kicked eight more goals in the first final game. Hawthorn went on to win the premiership that year. Franklin kicked two goals in the Grand Final, bringing his season total to 113 goals. He was named full forward in the 2008 All-Australian team. He also won his first Peter Crimmins Medal.

Injuries and 100th Game in 2009

Franklin had thumb and shoulder surgery before the 2009 season. His performance was not as strong as in 2008. He played his 100th game in Round 19. During this game, one of his front teeth was knocked out. He was suspended for two matches late in the season. This caused him to miss the finals.

Suspensions and Goal of the Year in 2010

Franklin missed three of the first seven games in 2010 due to suspensions. However, he returned to great form in Round 9. He kicked five goals against Carlton. In Round 13, he kicked a fantastic goal from the boundary line. This was later chosen as the Goal of the Year. He kicked six goals in Round 22 against Collingwood. This was his first time kicking more than five goals since 2008. Franklin was named centre half-forward in the 2010 All-Australian team.

Second Coleman Medal in 2011

Franklin kicking for goal against Port Adelaide in 2011

Franklin had a strong start to the 2011 season. In Round 8, he kicked his 400th goal for Hawthorn. He continued to kick goals consistently. He kicked a season-high eight goals in Round 21. Franklin won his second Coleman Medal that year with 71 goals. He was named in the 2011 All-Australian team.

Thirteen-Goal Game in 2012

Franklin struggled with accuracy early in 2012. But in Round 10, he kicked a career-high thirteen goals against North Melbourne. He also reached 500 career goals in Round 15. He was the second Indigenous player to reach this milestone. Franklin suffered a hamstring injury and missed six matches. He returned for the finals. Hawthorn reached the Grand Final but lost to Sydney. Franklin was named in the 2012 All-Australian team.

Second Premiership in 2013

Franklin kicked 60 goals in 2013. This was fewer than in previous years. His teammate Jarryd Roughead kicked more goals. However, Franklin won his second Goal of the Year award in Round 3. He played in the 2013 AFL Grand Final, where Hawthorn defeated Fremantle. This was his second premiership win. Media talked a lot about his contract situation that year.

Moving to Sydney (2014–2023)

Before the 2013 season ended, Franklin announced he would not discuss a new contract with Hawthorn. He was a restricted free agent. This meant Hawthorn could try to keep him if another club made an offer.

On October 1, 2013, Greater Western Sydney withdrew their offer for Franklin. They believed he would sign with the Sydney Swans. The Swans chairman, Andrew Ireland, confirmed they offered Franklin a nine-year, $10 million deal. Franklin said he made his decision at the "last minute." He officially joined the Sydney Swans on October 8, 2013. Hawthorn decided not to match the offer. Franklin then represented Australia in international rules football in Ireland.

200th Game and Third Coleman Medal in 2014

Franklin at Sydney's fan day following the 2014 AFL Grand Final

Franklin kept his number 23 guernsey when he joined Sydney. He debuted for the Swans in Round 1, 2014. After a slow start, Franklin returned to form. He kicked seven goals against his old team, Hawthorn, in Round 8. Franklin won his third Coleman Medal, kicking 67 goals. He played his 200th game in Round 19, kicking nine goals. Franklin was named in the 2014 All-Australian team. He finished second in the 2014 Brownlow Medal count. He kicked four goals in the 2014 AFL Grand Final loss to Hawthorn.

Health Challenges in 2015

Franklin started the 2015 season well. He kicked seven goals against Carlton in Round 9. He finished the year with 47 goals from 17 games. He missed some games due to a back injury. He also took time off from playing in the finals for health reasons.

Return to Form in 2016

Franklin made a successful return in 2016. He played all 26 games. He kicked at least four goals in seven of the first eight matches. In Round 13, he reached 750 career goals. This made him the 13th player in VFL/AFL history to do so. His best game was in Round 21, where he had 28 disposals and six goals. In Round 23, he kicked seven goals, reaching 200 goals as a Swan. He finished second in the Coleman Medal race with 74 goals. Franklin was named in the 2016 All-Australian team.

Top Ten Goalkickers and Fourth Coleman Medal in 2017

Franklin marking the ball against Richmond in 2017

Franklin played his 250th game in Round 3. Two weeks later, he kicked his 800th career goal. In Round 7, he kicked eight goals against the Brisbane Lions. In Round 10, he kicked five goals against Hawthorn. This moved him into the top ten highest goalkickers in VFL/AFL history. He won the Brett Kirk Medal in Round 17.

In Round 18, Franklin kicked his 50th goal for the season. This was his tenth time reaching 50 goals in a season. Only nine players in history have done this. In Round 23, he kicked ten goals against Carlton. This was only his second time kicking ten or more goals. This performance helped him win his fourth Coleman Medal with 69 goals. Franklin was named in the 2017 All-Australian team.

Injuries and All-Australian Captaincy in 2018

Franklin started 2018 with eight goals against West Coast. He missed three weeks with a bruised heel. In Round 9, he kicked his 300th goal as a Swan. This made him only the second player to kick 300 goals for two different clubs. In Round 15, he played his 100th game for Sydney. Two weeks later, he kicked his 900th career goal.

Despite injuries, Franklin played well. He kicked six goals against Collingwood in Round 20. He won his second Brett Kirk Medal in Round 22. He kicked five goals, passing Leigh Matthews to become the eighth-highest goalkicker. Franklin was named captain of the 2018 All-Australian team. This was his eighth All-Australian selection. He had surgery on a groin injury after the season.

Injuries and 300th Game in 2019

Franklin had a slow start to 2019 due to injuries. In Round 5, he kicked four goals. This moved him past Matthew Lloyd to become the seventh-highest goalkicker. He missed several games with a hamstring injury. He played his 300th game in the final round of the season. He kicked four goals in this game. Sydney missed the finals for the first time with Franklin at the club.

Before his 300th game, Franklin said he felt confident about playing more. He planned to reach 350 games and 1000 goals. He started pre-season training early to overcome his injuries.

Injury-Wiped Season in 2020

In January 2020, Franklin had knee surgery. He then suffered a hamstring injury in May. In August, he was ruled out for the rest of the season. This was due to groin soreness.

Return to Playing in 2021

Franklin returned to play in Round 2, 2021. He kicked three goals. He was rested in Round 3. He kicked three goals in Round 4 and five goals in Round 5. He then had a knee injury and missed more games.

1,000th Career Goal in 2022

Fans flooding the Sydney Cricket Ground after Franklin's 1,000th AFL goal in 2022

In Round 2, 2022, Franklin kicked four goals against Geelong. This made him the sixth player in VFL/AFL history to kick 1,000 career goals! The Swans reached the 2022 AFL Grand Final. Before the Grand Final, Franklin announced he would play one more year. The Swans lost the Grand Final to Geelong.

Retirement in 2023

After injuring his calf in Round 20, 2023, Franklin announced his retirement from the AFL. He was honored with a lap of honor at the Swans' final home game.

Buddy Franklin's Statistics

**Legend**
G	Goals	B	Behinds	K	Kicks	H	Handballs	D	Disposals	M	Marks	T	Tackles

AFL playing statistics
Season	Team	No.	Games	Totals							Averages (per game)							Votes
Season	Team	No.	Games	G	B	K	H	D	M	T	G	B	K	H	D	M	T	Votes
2005	Hawthorn	38	20	21	13	140	73	213	75	39	1.1	0.7	7.0	3.7	10.7	3.8	2.0	1
2006	Hawthorn	23	14	31	9	98	58	156	52	25	2.2	0.6	7.0	4.1	11.1	3.7	1.8	5
2007	Hawthorn	23	22	73	62^†	201	92	293	123	49	3.3	2.8^†	9.1	4.2	13.3	5.6	2.2	5
2008^#	Hawthorn	23	25	113^†	88^†	308	75	383	158	50	4.5^†	3.5^†	12.3	3.0	15.3	6.3	2.0	20
2009	Hawthorn	23	21	67	46	187	129	316	109	48	3.2	2.2	8.9	6.1	15.0	5.2	2.3	4
2010	Hawthorn	23	18	64	42	205	115	320	99	68	3.6^†	2.3^†	11.4	6.4	17.8	5.5	3.8	10
2011	Hawthorn	23	22	82^†	61^†	250	151	401	130	73	3.7^†	2.8^†	11.4	6.9	18.2	5.9	3.3	20
2012	Hawthorn	23	19	69^†	64^†	250	100	350	111	71	3.6^†	3.4^†	13.2	5.3	18.4	5.8	3.7	12
2013^#	Hawthorn	23	21	60	37	214	115	329	86	52	2.9	1.8	10.2	5.5	15.7	4.1	2.5	5
2014	Sydney	23	22	79^†	51^†	267	100	367	139	67	3.6^†	2.3^†	12.1	4.5	16.7	6.3	3.0	22
2015	Sydney	23	17	47	29	192	58	250	83	49	2.8	1.7	11.3	3.4	14.7	4.9	2.3	8
2016	Sydney	23	26	81	54^†	321	136	457	155	68	3.1	2.1^†	12.3	5.2	17.6	6.0	2.6	17
2017	Sydney	23	24	73^†	60^†	316	89	405	158	55	3.0	2.5	13.2	3.7	16.9	6.6	2.3	22
2018	Sydney	23	19	57	43^†	241	47	288	127	38	3.0	2.3	12.7	2.5	15.2	6.7	2.0	16
2019	Sydney	23	10	27	18	96	21	117	55	16	2.7	1.8	9.6	2.1	11.7	5.5	1.6	3
2020	Sydney	23	0	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	0
2021	Sydney	23	18	51	24	157	56	213	81	46	2.8	1.3	8.7	3.1	11.8	4.5	2.6	8
2022	Sydney	23	23	52	28	206	58	264	116	46	2.3	1.2	9.0	2.5	11.5	5.0	2.0	8
2023	Sydney	23	13	19	13	84	38	122	53	29	1.5	1.0	6.5	2.9	9.4	4.1	2.2	0
Career			354	1066	742	3733	1511	5244	1910	889	3.0	2.1	10.5	4.3	14.8	5.4	2.5	186

Buddy Franklin's Personal Life

Franklin has many tattoos that show his Indigenous heritage. He has also openly spoken about his struggles with his mental health. He did this to help others feel more comfortable talking about similar issues.

Franklin married Jesinta Campbell on November 4, 2016. She is a former Miss Universe Australia model. They have a daughter and a son. After retiring from football in 2023, Franklin and his family moved to the Gold Coast. He now works as an ambassador for the AFL in Queensland.

Buddy Franklin's Awards and Achievements

Team Awards

2× AFL premiership player (Hawthorn): 2008, 2013
2× McClelland Trophy (Hawthorn): 2012, 2013
2× McClelland Trophy (Sydney): 2014, 2016

Individual Awards

8× All-Australian team: 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018 (c)
4× Coleman Medal: 2008, 2011, 2014, 2017
Peter Crimmins Medal: 2008
6× Hawthorn leading goalkicker: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
7× Sydney leading goalkicker: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022
3× Brett Kirk Medal: 2017 (game 2), 2018 (game 2), 2021 (game 1)
2× Goodes–O'Loughlin Medal: 2017, 2022
2× AFL Goal of the Year: 2010, 2013
Australia representative honours in international rules football: 2013
Dream Team representative honours in AFL Hall of Fame Tribute Match
Marn Grook Award: 2007
AFL Rising Star nominee: 2005

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