Lance Franklin is in Sydney, but only on Hawthorn business according to the in-demand AFL superstar who continues to indicate he will remain a Hawk.
In February, Franklin put contract negotiations on hold with Hawthorn until the end of the season and that seven-month wait will soon end.
Murmurings of an offer from Greater Western Sydney in the vicinity of $10-12 million over five or six years have continued to swirl, even after Franklin declared on August 7 he has no intention of leaving the Hawks.
Franklin was in Sydney on Thursday for the naming of the AFL’s International Rules squad, with GWS chief executive David Matthews among the crowd at the National Centre of Indigenous Excellence in Redfern for the announcement.
The 26-year-old joked about catching up with former Hawthorn assistant coach Leon Cameron, now the Giants’ coach-in-waiting, on the trip.
But, taking a more serious tone, Franklin made it clear his focus was on Friday night’s clash with Sydney at ANZ Stadium and that he had no plans to slip away and inspect GWS’s nearby facilities.
“No I’m here to play Sydney and get the win, and then get back and play finals,” he said.
Franklin, as he has done countless times this season, reiterated that he wanted to wait until the end of the Hawks’ 2013 campaign before making a decision on his future.
“But at this stage, it’s Hawthorn where I want to be at,” he said.
The two-time Coleman medallist said winning another premiership, to go with his 2008 medal, would not make a difference in his final verdict.
Franklin was relaxed at Thursday’s media conference, talking up his fondness for Sydney before adding the caveat that “everyone loves Sydney, don’t they?” with a grin.
However, the key forward admitted his indecision hadn’t been embraced by Hawthorn.
“There’s been a little bit of pressure and expectation from the football club, in terms of signing,” Franklin said.
“But for me, I’ve always had that mindset of wanting to do it at the end of the season.
“With this Essendon stuff popping up a little bit, it (the attention of AFL media and fans) has been all on them pretty much – which is pretty sad, but I’ve been alright which has been good.”
