Franklin turned back the clock to help provide at least some answers. He almost single-handedly swung the match in the third term,much to the delight of the 30,110-strong crowd at Moore Park on Sunday evening,with four of his six goals straight coming in an unmissable 12-minute burst that sparked the Swans back to life,dragging them to within three points.
It was classic Buddy,who even at 35 can bend a game to his will like no other. The highlight was a left-foot dribble from an angle so acute it would have been just about impossible for any other player,but for him it has always been routine. It hit the umpire’s leg on its way in but was thankfully waved through upon score review.
But that was as close as the Swans got. Even without Joe Daniher,who was subbed off as a “precaution” with a shoulder injury,Brisbane were equal to the task and fired back with the next four goals to stop Sydney’s comeback dead in its tracks. From there,it was always going to be a tough ask,and the Lions were able to close it out comfortably.
Unlike last week,when the Swans relied on some late heroics to get over Hawthorn,this time they were made to pay for their earlier failures,falling 17.11 (113) to 13.11 (89) to just their second defeat from seven rounds.
“They’re a top-four team over the last three years,as they deserve to be,” Swans coach John Longmire said. “This’ll be fourth year in a row if they finish top four. We’re still striving to get to that stage,we’re still aiming for that,and we’re not there yet.”
Not since the final round of 2009,back when Jonathan Brown was in his pomp,had the Lions tasted victory in Sydney.