Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin’s wife has dropped the biggest hint yet that the AFL great is ready to walk away from the Sydney Swans after nine years at the club.
Franklin and the Swans have yet to agree on a new contract to extend his time at Sydney to a tenth season.
The 35-year-old attacker was reportedly offended by a new offer from the Swans, and there is speculation Franklin could retire or move to a third club.
Jesinta Franklin, a model and newly qualified player agent, declined to rule out a move from Sydney when asked about the couple’s future on Channel Seven’s the morning show on Thursday.
In a statement no doubt addressed to Swans management, she said ‘we have options’ when host Kylie Gillies suggested there were plenty of other clubs to grab Buddy.
Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin’s wife has dropped the biggest hint yet that the AFL great is ready to walk away from the Sydney Swans after nine years at the club. (Pictured: Buddy and Jesinta Franklin in Sydney on September 26, 2016)
The former David Jones ambassador also did not deny that the 332 game veteran may have sought a contract with another AFL team.
She did clarify, however, that it was just “rumours” and “speculation” at this stage.
“There’s always rumors and speculation about Bud, and I think when he comes to the end of such a great contract, it always would,” Jesinta explained.
‘But I think they are just that; they are rumors and they are speculations.’
In another clue that the Franklins are ready to move on, Jesinta added a rather telling qualifier when she spoke about the couple’s life in Sydney.
“We’re very happy in Sydney – right now – and we’ve set up our lives here, so we’ll just have to see what happens,” she said.
Jesinta, a model and qualified player agent, declined to rule out a move from Sydney when asked about the couple’s future on Channel Seven’s The Morning Show on Thursday.
Jesinta appeared to be taking a subtle swipe at the Swans for their lowball offering, telling The Morning Show that her husband has ‘good footy’ [left in him]despite his age.
“I still feel he has a lot to give, and he still feels like he has great football” [left in him], and he feels so good,” she said, adding, “He just keeps saying, ‘I feel like I’m 21,’ which is great. And the statistics really show that.’
The Celebrity Apprentice star, who shares son Rocky and daughter Tullulah with the footy player, also spoke about the couple’s plans for when Franklin retires in an interview with The Daily Telegraph†
“When he retires, whenever that is, we’d love to go abroad for six months and just live without the work commitments and without the stress and worry that comes with living in the spotlight,” she said.
“For us, it’s going to be so nice to have a big vacation and just spend quality time with the kids and not worry about anything.”
She added of the rumors of Franklin’s contract renegotiating: “Sydney is our home right now and we love living here.”
In a statement no doubt addressed to Swans management, she said ‘we have options’ when host Kylie Gillies suggested there were plenty of other clubs to grab Buddy. (The Franklins are pictured in Sydney on December 1, 2021)
jesinta recently completed a three day course and exam administered by the AFL Players’ Association required to be a players’ agent.
The course trains aspiring agents on a range of topics, including their roles, rules and regulations, and talent identification.
Participants first enroll in the AFLPA and complete the three-day agent course, which costs $3,300, the Herald Sun reports.
Then they take a three-hour entrance exam to test their knowledge.
Sydney is confident that Franklin will end his storied AFL career with the Swans, with Hawthorn ruling out any prospect of a fairytale reunion with the superstar veteran.
Despite reports that Franklin was ‘offended’ by the club’s initial offer to extend his contract, Swans CEO Tom Harley is reassured that a contract will be arranged.
Jesinta appeared to be taking a subtle swipe at the Swans for their lowball offering, telling The Morning Show that her husband has ‘good footy’ [left in him]despite his age
Franklin and his manager Adam Finch have not yet commented on the story.
“I’m very comfortable with the conversations we’re having with Lance and the privacy of those conservationists,” Harley told SEN on Thursday.
“At the same time, we also understand that people will speculate, people will look to dig up stories from information and I’m not too worried about how it will work.” [the story] came to be.
‘Lance is a unique figure and player in the game and the conversations are therefore geared to that.
“Inappropriate and unfair to all parties involved to go into details.
“The talks we have with Lance remain respectful with significant amounts of goodwill, great intent.
“We think Lance has made a tremendous contribution to the club, the code and become iconic Sydney and part of the Sydney Swans family.”
Sydney is confident that Franklin will end his storied AFL career with the Swans, with Hawthorn ruling out any prospect of a fairytale reunion with the superstar veteran. (Pictured in Melbourne on May 20)
Harley also shot down any link between Dustin Martin potentially leaving Richmond and Franklin’s contract.
Martin, arguably the Tigers’ biggest player, is considering leaving the AFL fishbowl in Melbourne and has strong family and friendship ties in the port city.
Franklin has been the Swans’ highest paid player for nearly a decade and it would obviously be difficult to fit him and Martin into the same salary cap.
“There’s absolutely no connection between these two stories, these two players,” said Harley.
“We have had no contact or talks with Dustin Martin, he is not our player and it would be inappropriate for us to do that.
“I’m a little stunned at how the story around Dustin keeps coming up and resurfacing with a strong connection to the Swans.”
Despite reports that Franklin was ‘offended’ by the club’s initial offer to extend his contract, Swans CEO Tom Harley is reassured that a contract will be arranged. (Pictured in Melbourne on July 2)
Richmond coach Damien Hardwick has previously said Martin would be free to leave Punt Rd with his ‘blessing’ and was again asked on Thursday about the future of the three-time Norm Smith medalist.
†[Martin] knows our thoughts, Richmond player for two more years,” said Hardwick.
‘That is our approach at this stage and hopefully that will not change in the short or long term.’
Franklin signed a monster nine-year deal to move to Sydney for the 2014 season after a stellar 182 game career with Hawthorn.
The Swans are reportedly considering a move for Richmond superstar Dustin Martin
Hawks coach Sam Mitchell admits it’s unlikely Franklin would fit into the Waverley Park rebuild.
“I mean, it’s a great fairytale concept, but with where our list is and what we’re trying to achieve, I don’t see it,” Mitchell, who played with Franklin on Hawthorn, said Thursday.
In March, Franklin became the sixth VFL/AFL player to kick 1000 career goals amid iconic scenes at the SCG after hitting the milestone.
Franklin has played 332 AFL games prior to the Swans crunch clash with Fremantle at Optus Stadium on Saturday night.