The league's premier goalkicker will not be caged in the forward line. Franklin will roam, his pressure acts will boost Sydney's hopes of victory as much as his goals.
The competition's best defender will be one of many Richmond players asked to curb Franklin's influence. Rance will also seek to hurt the Swans with rebounding run and intercept marks.
Yet it's hard to imagine a more anticipated duel this season.
Franklin and Rance are the best at their respective crafts and among the AFL's most athletic, authoritative and exciting players. It's just their coaches value different things to what Denis Pagan and Mick Malthouse did 20 years ago; defence and attack have become increasingly blurred in the modern era.
"It's certainly evolved a lot," Alastair Lynch reflected, having spent time at both full-back and full-forward in a 306-game career that ran from 1988 until 2004.
Franklin booted seven goals during his most recent clash with Richmond, who were devoid of momentum and morale in the final round of the 2016 regular season.
But such bags are now oddities.
Spearheads still exist but genuine full-forwards became endangered soon after Lynch's retirement in 2004.
"Everyone started pressing up the ground. I remember scratching my head a few times, I'd be standing in the centre circle but playing full-forward," Lynch said.
Frankin and Rance's match-up will be hard to map. It will stop at various points, depending on rotations and where each man is running. It may not even transpire, although Swans coach John Longmire senses that is unlikely.
0 Response to "sport24h AFL : Richmond vs Sydney clash at the MCG round 13 Sportivo"
Post a Comment