What Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin told Swans coach John Longmire after suffering calf injury against Essendon that could end the champion’s storied AFL career
- Franklin is disappointed about sore calf
- Longmire says they will wait and see
- Injury could be career-ending for star
Sydney Swans coach John Longmire spoke to injured superstar Lance Franklin post game and the big forward’s immediate reaction to his worrying injury was that of ‘disappointment’.
Franklin’s season could be in jeopardy after he limped off with a calf injury during the second quarter of the Swans’ heart-stopping two-point win over Essendon at Marvel Stadium on Saturday night.
But Longmire remains hopeful that Franklin’s season is not over and will not jump to any conclusions about the diagnosis until medical staff issue their final assessment.
‘He’s obviously got a tight calf – it was tight enough to sub him out, so we’ll see what it looks like tomorrow,’ Longmire said.
‘He’s alright, I just had a chat with him then, he’s disappointed he’s got a sore calf.
Franklin’s season could be in jeopardy after he limped off with an injury against Essendon
Coach John Longmire says he isn’t jumping to any conclusions about the nature of the injury
”Wait and see mate’, he said, ‘see what it looks like tomorrow’.
‘He’s been around for a long time and he knows there’s no point talking too much about it now.
‘We’ll wait until we’ve got the facts in front of us.’
Longmire cut a relieved figure after the Swans kept their season alive with a gripping two-point win.
Leading by 37 points at one point during the third term, the Swans nearly blew it, but a late Tom Papley goal spared their heartache.
‘Pretty critical in the end,’ Longmire said of Papley’s 60m game-sealing goal.
‘It got through, bounced the right way and went our way.
‘(The feeling is) one of, we got over the line, which is terrific, it’s hard to win a game of AFL footy.
Longmire says they will wait until they have a medical diagnosis about Franklin’s injury
Sydney went on to secure a nail-biting two-point victory over Essendon in Melbourne
‘So when you do, you’ve got to really enjoy that, it’s really important.
‘And still some work to do.’
One player who is flying for the Swans is young forward Joel Amartey, who booted four goals.
‘It’s a big job those guys do as key forwards and then go into the ruck,’ Longmire said.
‘To kick four and be a forward target and in the ruck as well was important for us.’
Star defender Dane Rampe is also be in doubt for the Swans local derby against GWS Giants with calf soreness.
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