AFL great Lance Franklin has become the latest star player to be booed by opposition fans, leaving Sydney coach John Longmire bemused and Collingwood counterpart Craig McRae nonplussed.
Key points:
- 36-year-old Franklin failed to kick a goal as the Swans lost by 29 points at the MCG
- But Sydney coach John Longmire said Franklin should be celebrated not booed
- Earlier this season, Collingwood fans were the first to boo Port Adelaide youngster Jason Horne-Francis
Franklin, a likely future member of the Australian football Hall Of Fame, had a goalless game as the Magpies kicked clear in the last term on Sunday to beat Sydney by 29 points at the MCG.
The Magpies’ ground out an 11.11 (77) to 6.12 (48) win in chilly conditions attracted 71,463 fans, some of whom decided Franklin was their villain for the afternoon.
“I don’t know why they would — why were they booing him?,” Longmire said post-match
“You’d probably celebrate a 36-year-old, wouldn’t you, who’s been a champion of the game?
“It’s been 10 years since we’ve played Collingwood here … it doesn’t make sense.”
McRae put it succinctly: “We just don’t boo”.
Collingwood fans were the first to boo Port Adelaide young gun Jason Horne-Francis earlier this season, after he sought an exit from struggling North Melbourne at the end of last season, and it became a weekly occurrence, eventually prompting a heated response from Power coach Ken Hinkley.
A career-best five goals from Brody Mihocek, including a spectacular mid-air strike in the last quarter, plus an outstanding captain’s game from Darcy Moore and Jack Ginnivan’s second-half cameo, highlighted the Magpies’ win.
The victory keeps the Magpies at the top of the ladder, while the Swans have lost three in a row and are struggling with a 3-5 record.
Mihocek was the only multiple goal-kicker in the tough conditions and the Magpies sealed the win with five goals to one in the last term.
“Like the last two or three games, our pressure in the last quarter goes to another level,” McRae said.
“Teams right now are struggling with that.”
Moore was a brick wall in defence and continually thwarted the Swans.
Ginnivan, named as the sub, came on in the third term and immediately gave Collingwood much-needed spark.
He also kicked a last-term goal as the Magpies surged clear.
Collingwood veteran Scott Pendlebury had a team-high 31 possessions, while Swans young gun Errol Gulden racked up 37 possessions.
AAP/ABC
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