Andy 4Buddy Christ?
June 18th 2008 06:30
Is Lance Franklin the second coming or just another in a long line of false prophets? He’s certainly big, fast and athletic. The antithesis of the modern footballer who, with sixty odd goals to round 12, looks set to be the first player since Lloyde to kick a ton. Watching him kick a bag against Essendon two weeks ago I, like most, marveled at how easily he took apart their defence. How did he do it? Well it didn't help that his opponents couldn’t touch him, literally.
The bombers back men are by no means the worst going around. Dustin Fletcher is one of the greatest full backs of all time, and his young apprentice Patty Ryder is himself a player on the rise. However, they were both powerless against the rampaging Love at the MCG thanks in no small part to being hamstrung by the AFL’s new rules designed to nobble back men.
Once upon a time a defender could do something when the ball was kick to his opponent in the air. He had a chance to spoil as he knew that the slightest tap on the wrist was not going to result in a free kick ala basketball. Taking the arm was a vaunted skill taught to every youngster. Punch from behind. It was the backman's mantra and now it’s being stamped out by a league hell bent on artificially manufacturing an “attacking game.”
I truly admire players like Lockett, Dunstal, Ablett and even Lloyde who kicked bags playing against defenders like Andrew Dunkley and Ned Kelley who had some teeth (mostly collected from various full forwards who didn’t have eyes in the back of their heads).
Lance has all the trappings of a great player, and this should by no means be construde as an attack on him. Afterall you can only play by the rules dictated to you by the league, but until the AFL untie the hands of defenders, any records he breaks will be tarnished by the ghosts of defenders past.
The bombers back men are by no means the worst going around. Dustin Fletcher is one of the greatest full backs of all time, and his young apprentice Patty Ryder is himself a player on the rise. However, they were both powerless against the rampaging Love at the MCG thanks in no small part to being hamstrung by the AFL’s new rules designed to nobble back men.
I truly admire players like Lockett, Dunstal, Ablett and even Lloyde who kicked bags playing against defenders like Andrew Dunkley and Ned Kelley who had some teeth (mostly collected from various full forwards who didn’t have eyes in the back of their heads).
Lance has all the trappings of a great player, and this should by no means be construde as an attack on him. Afterall you can only play by the rules dictated to you by the league, but until the AFL untie the hands of defenders, any records he breaks will be tarnished by the ghosts of defenders past.
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