Lance Franklin the walking headline. His move to the Swans dominated the media and will forever go down as one of the biggest deals in AFL/VFL history. But what does this mean for
us SuperCoach's? After a well below-par season for Buddy which saw him produce six
sub-70 scores, the move north could be the best thing for him and even better
for fantasy land. His average of 90 saw a staggering drop of 25 PPG in 2012. Was
it all the contract speculation? The improvement of Jack Gunston? Or simply a
poor year from the superstar? Whatever the reason, 2014 is shaping to be a big
year for Franklin with the shackles seemingly off, I expect his average to be
back to three figures and Buddy back to his best.
2013 proved a frustrating year for Franklin, missing matches through both injury and
suspension. Raising speculation about his ability to bounce back and be a lock
in our forward set-ups. However, it’s not the first time Buddy has returned a
below-par average; in 2009 his average fell dramatically from 107 the year prior
to 87.9 before bouncing back with averages of 108, 111 and 116 over the next
three years. Calming any fears that the former champion Hawk won’t reignite to his
very best form.
In contrast to previous years, where we have had to pay top dollar for Franklin, in 2014 he can be selected for some $130,000 less that his starting price tag in 2013, making him an immensely appealing prospect. I expect Franklin to thrive at the well drilled Swans, slotting in
alongside fellow power forward Kurt Tippett, and quite possibly Sam Reid as well,
forming one of the most formidable forward lines in the competition. With the
likelihood of Franklin being handed a licence to roam up the ground taking full
advantage of his versatility, an aspect of his game that makes him a unique tall forward. Whatever his role, the change of scenery promises a high end return.
At his best Franklin is a match winner, dynamic and devastating force and one of our first selected forwards. Franklin’s upside for 2014 is huge, at his starting price it would
take a brave coach to not pick such a player. Buddy has all the attributes to
produce a scintillating season for the Swans, I expect him to again kick plenty
of goals and find plenty of the ball around the ground on his way to average upward of 105, making him a must have for your squad.