News LANCE Franklin, one of the greatest players in the history of the game, has announced his retirement, effectively immediately.

[_Mike_]

LANCE Franklin, one of the greatest players in the history of the game, has announced his retirement, effectively immediately.

The 36-year-old informed his teammates on Monday that his decorated career is over.

The news comes after he injured his calf in Saturday night's win over Essendon.


Franklin confirmed the news with an Instagram post alongside a photo of Alastair Clarkson and John Longmire, his two AFL coaches.


"What a journey. Thanks to everyone who has been on this crazy ride with me," he wrote.

Courtesy: ALF.com.au

 

[Tippett2Goal]

un-arguably a great of the game, will be in the HOF and legend status without a doubt.

 

[Budgey]

My favorite player ever, and arguably the most physically gifted person ever to play AFL (with a nod to Ablett senior). He was just so exciting to watch, and in his prime he was doing things every week that made me shake my head in disbelief. Watching him play when he was on fire was as good as sport gets.

 

[OhhhhhCyril]

Very very fortunate to be able to watch the great man up close for many many years. So many memories, that Adelaide Elimination final goal in 2007 and that QF against the dogs where he basically said hold my beer and went absolutely bananas.

A champion of the game. Will be missed.

 

[BG32]

One of the greatest to ever kick the Sherrin

 

[TheUnicorn]

One seriously overrated goal… sorry to say. Burning Cale hooker isn’t exactly a miracle accomplishment with an open paddock.

Big dude ran half the field (In the 4th quarter mind you) and then slots it from the boundary line? 99% of players couldn't even kick it to a marking contest after running like that.

 

[RUNVS]

My favorite player ever, and arguably the most physically gifted person ever to play AFL (with a nod to Ablett senior). He was just so exciting to watch, and in his prime he was doing things every week that made me shake my head in disbelief. Watching him play when he was on fire was as good as sport gets.

I just knew every time Buddy got a mark 48 metres out on the boundary on the right hand side of the field that he was going to kick the goal. He made shots from that part of the ground look easy, though ironically 30m right in front of goals was far more hit and miss.

 

[kreuze_missile]

Not at his own press conference?

 

[Dr Tigris]

Great player. Will be in the all time elite group of forwards.

 

[RUNVS]

Big dude ran half the field and then slots it from the boundary line? 99% of players couldn't even kick it to a marking contest after running like that.

and Buddy did almost exactly the same thing against Adelaide around 7 years later.

 

[geelong_crazy26]

Big dude ran half the field and then slots it from the boundary line? 99% of players couldn't even kick it to a marking contest after running like that.

So you are saying one of the greatest goals of all time is a quick key forward with an open paddock ahead of him burning a slow key defender running into goal and then kicking it??

Besides the fatigue element and the angle.. am I missing something here??

Overhyped

 

[Bluelegs]

Strange for him not to be at the presser

 

[Wolfgang West]

Should have gone around again with another team.
A good honest footballer, gave it a solid knock. I met him at the Hookers ball in Darwin after they won the flag in 2008.

Why would he lower himself to play with another club after the 2 great clubs he played for ? Especially a test tube manufactured one.

 

[SSSSSS]

Thanks for the memories Bud

Hopefully gets sauced up for the 2013 reunion.

 

[TheUnicorn]

So you are saying one of the greatest goals of all time is a quick key forward with an open paddock ahead of him burning a slow key defender running into goal and then kicking it??

Besides the fatigue element and the angle.. am I missing something here??

Overhyped

No i'm not saying it's one of the greatest goals of all time but it's certainly one of the great goals by one of the greatest goal scorers of all time.

 

[RUNVS]

Strange for him not to be at the presser

Feels like a very Buddy move to me. Never liked doing press conferences.

 

[RUNVS]

Thanks for the memories Bud

Hopefully gets sauced up for the 2013 reunion.

Hodge wishes he was good enough for Bud.

 

[geelong_crazy26]

No i'm not saying it's one of the greatest goals of all time but it's certainly one of the great goals by one of the greatest goal scorers of all time.

It was a very good goal I agree.

 

[Sphynx]

You only mentioned Ablett to hide your Carey wank. LMFAO.

No I didn't.

Clearly the two best footballers I've ever seen. Clearly.

Buddy was a beast, but the other two were just a fair bit better imo, for different reasons.

Franklin sits comfortably in the G Ablett Jnr and Judd tier for me below them.

Ranking Carey and Ablett Snr as the two best of the modern era isn't controversial.

 

[TheUnicorn]

Hodge wishes he was good enough for Bud.

Don't we all

 

[SSSSSS]

Not sure what's more legendary.

100 goals in a season or Buddy's other 100 in 100.

 

[Hawks1523]

Getting to see this bloke do his this week in week out, in the team he did it in was something I’ll never forget. Some of the moments shared at the G when Bud did his thing, and the state he’d get the crowd in was something I’ve never seen before. Was gutted when he left, and didn’t follow him after he left, and as is always the case, now it’s over I wish I had.

 

[Sttew]

A champion of the game, a genuine good bloke and a genuine generational player.

 

[Superstar swan]

Not sure what's more legendary.

100 goals in a season or Buddy's other 100 in 100.

Same year wasn't it

 

[SSSSSS]

Same year wasn't it

Yep.

Could have kicked 200 if he wasn't into the birds

 

[RUNVS]

Yep.

Could have kicked 200 if he wasn't into the birds

Yes, so all those F/S selections from all these random kids who are going to be appearing in the next few years are coming to the Swans