Greater Western Sydney fans were entitled to ask ‘who needs Buddy?’ after their two young key forwards overshadowed Lance Franklin on his Swans debut on Saturday night.
Jeremy Cameron kicked four goals and Jonathon Patton three as they helped their side to a shock 32-point win at Spotless Stadium.
Franklin’s first competition hitout in Sydney colours produced just one goal.
GWS coach Leon Cameron stressed Franklin’s decision late last year to choose the Swans over his club hadn’t been a motivating factor for his men.
Patton, who has played just nine games in his first two seasons due to knee injuries, kicked two first-quarter goals, as did Cameron.
Both men also goaled in the last quarter, when Sydney booted six unanswered majors.
Franklin’s highlight came early in the first quarter when he took a juggling mark and then converted a 50-metre set shot.
With Sydney losing their grip in midfield in the second half, Franklin cut an increasingly frustrated and peripheral figure, finishing with 1.1, seven touches and four marks.
“He (Franklin) was quiet, we had a few,” Sydney coach John Longmire said.
Leon Cameron said his co-captain Phil Davis did a terrific job on Franklin.
He also celebrated the big engine of former Sydney ruckman Shane Mumford on his Giants debut and acclaimed the efforts of his two young key forwards.
“Sometimes those conditions don’t suit tall forwards, especially after quarter time when the rain came,” Cameron said.
“For Jeremy to stay in the game and Johnny Patton coming off a horrific injury 12 months ago.
“For him to actually get through his rehab and show the form that he has been doing in the last three or four weeks and then to come into an AFL game and do what he did was outstanding.
“And Jeremy continues on. It wasn’t the big pack marks or some of the freakish goals we’ve known from Jeremy it was just playing his role and staying in the game and the luck actually came his way after halftime.”