Player Spotlight Lance "Buddy" Franklin - Where does he rank among the all-time best players?

[prodigy]

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This one is a bit of "what could have been?" type of scenario...
#tamblinggate has been a go-to gag for a lot of opposition supporters over the years. Doesn't mean much considering we won the flag last year, but how many more could we have won if we picked up Buddy?
We are lucky to have Rance who more often than not either breaks even with Buddy, or even beats him.

Back to the main question at hand, where do people rate Buddy Franklin among such greats as Gary Ablett Snr, Wayne Carey, Plugger?

I personally put him in that same echelon as some of the stuff he does is just out of this world. When he turns it on, he is far and away the most dynamic player in the game. His consistency has been an issue for him to really get to that level beyond a shadow of a doubt.
Does he need to win a couple more flags?

See below the quality of the man.

 

[sante]

One of a kind type of player for sure.

 

[_Cayz_]

Same echelon as those types. Buddy does things that most people can't.

Still don't think anyone can top Matthews though.

 

[nastytiger]

Rance V Buddy is worth the price of admission on its own! Both players save their best for each other!

On [device_name] using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[tugga]

Has never been a great pack mark but the stuff he can do when the ball hits the deck...christ it's great to watch.

 

[manangatang]

Of just the ones you mentioned, it’d be Ablett Snr > Buddy > Carey = Plugger for mine.

Purely qualitative evaluation framework though.

 

[Maroo]

He’s in that company, for sure. I wouldn’t put him ahead of Ablett Snr or Carey for players that I’ve seen though.

Side note on the Tambling/Buddy point from the OP. I think he would have flamed out and not been deserving of licking the boots of the player he has become if we had drafted him. The club just wasn’t run well enough to handle him off the field and properly develop him on it.

 

[The King!]

I feel privileged to watch him play.
‘Think he has elevated his game as he has aged (bias yet) but because he has had to with less precise delivery and less support at Sydney than hawthorn.

General field kicking is excellent

For me he is certainly a top 10 all time player i have seen watching since about 1986

Great thread idea too

 

[prodigy]

I feel privileged to watch him play.
‘Think he has elevated his game as he has aged (bias yet) but because he has had to with less precise delivery and less support at Sydney than hawthorn.

General field kicking is excellent

For me he is certainly a top 10 all time player i have seen watching since about 1986

Great thread idea too

Sometimes when I’m watching him in full flight, I just sit back and chuckle to myself because he is just that good and he makes it look incredibly easy.
Bloke is like over 6’5 as well.

Crazy stuff.

 

[brad cooper]

Probably thru my hatred of hawks i never realized just how good buddy was until he played for us.

Best player ive seen since the Lockett, Carey and Ablett snr era, comes down to personal opinion really. A forward line of all 4 would be good to watch.

As for the inevitable Tambling thing i personally think the Ryan Griffen selection by the bulldogs was more costly. One of their prelim finals teams of 08 09 and 10 would have been premiers if he was in their forward line.

 

[Gosha]

Buddy is better than Carey

 

[joelsyt]

When Buddy is on there’s probably no other player I love watching more. The man is an absolutely brilliant footballer.

I missed his game against GWS which I hear was awesome, but I did watch him in Round 1 against West Coast, probably the most fun I’ve ever had watching a game as a neutral.

 

[NaturalDisaster]

Considering our development at the time it is very possible Buddy would have never reached the heights he did if we drafted him. Just on an unrelated note, I sometimes think that had we not drafted Lids, he would have been a lot better than he was at another club (not saying he wasn't good with us, he was great but I can't help but to think he never reached the heights he could have). As for Buddy, I don't think he would have turned out like Vickery or anything, but he my have been just a decent B Grade footballer rather than the superstar he is today.

From what I remember of Wayne Carey (was rather young when he played but still remember him) I would rate Franklin on par with him.. He is modern day Carey that is for sure.

He is a pleasure to watch.

I always look forward to his battles with Rance too.

 

[joelsyt]

Is this the main board now? What’s next , who gives a flying **** about buddy franklin does he wear a tigers jumper? Are we into him.

There’s a few people that actually enjoy these threads. You don’t have to post on them if you don’t like them.

 

[Power Play]

Is this the main board now? What’s next , who gives a flying **** about buddy franklin does he wear a tigers jumper? Are we into him.

The moderators are trying to encourage friendly discussion with opposition supporters over here, if I'm not mistaken.

In my opinion, it's much better than the main board, that place is no better than Bay 13 these days.

 

[Shazza_]

Buddy is better than Carey

nope

 

[tigs2010]

There’s a few people that actually enjoy these threads. You don’t have to post on them if you don’t like them.

Agree however 3 of the top 4 threads are non Richmond currently.

Should lock the old one and start a new one to prevent this becoming a main board.

 

[JAKLAUGHING]

Buddy is better than Carey

In your dreams..

 

[JAKLAUGHING]

nope

xactly...

 

[prodigy]

Agree however 3 of the top 4 threads are non Richmond currently.

Should lock the old one and start a new one to prevent this becoming a main board.

That was actually the intention and that was my oversight.
Power Play you may need to direct your Gary Ablett question to the Geelong board. Apologies.

 

[tigs2010]

That was actually the intention and that was my oversight.
Power Play you may need to direct your Gary Ablett question to the Geelong board. Apologies.

Probably unfortunate the Chris Scott thread started as well as the Trinity one being bumped at same time as this lol

 

[Nostradumbass]

Buddy is better than Carey

Nope.

 

[Drofder]

We always cop a lot of crap for missing out on the great Budwah but I can tell you now I sat behind Scott Clayton and the Dogs recruiting team in 2003 at the G when WA played SA in the U18 Champs and Clayton didn't think he was much. Thought he was lazy, selfish, no tank, couldn't kick on his right, too many off field problems and would be a massive bust. Ridiculed him constantly during the game.

Hmmm. Didn't quite work out to be a bust. Maybe a blockbuster player, but not a bust.

 

[Equus]

To me Buddy is a freak and he will never be the player that he is right now if he was to play for Richmond. Good player. Poor driver

 

[juss]

In the best 10 Ive ever seen.