LANCE Franklin says he's more motivated than ever to win an AFL flag with Sydney and feels only injury will prevent him from fulfilling his nine-year contract with the Swans.
The charismatic 30-year-old forward chalks up another career milestone on Friday when he plays his 250th game.
All but 67 of those were at Hawthorn, with whom he won two flags before heading to Sydney on a $10 million deal after the 2013 season.
Playing in losing Grand Final sides in 2014 and 2016 has only stoked his motivational fires to win a premiership with Sydney.
"I want it more than ever," Franklin told Fox Footy on Tuesday night.
"Obviously we've played in two grand finals since I've been up here. It hurts not to win those grand finals.
"But the motivation to get back there is bigger than ever and something that I'll be working as hard as possible with the group we've got, to get back into finals contention and then hopefully play in another Grand Final."
Franklin has just under six full seasons left on his mega contract, which if completed would take him deep into his 36th year and through to the end of 2022.
His undiminished passion for the game and the examples of some veterans in their mid-30s still playing good football encourages him to believe he will get to that finish line.
"I love coming to training, it motivates me," Franklin said.
"So for me the only thing that's going to stop me is an injury probably.
"Thirty is just a number too, I think back in the day 30 was the time to hang up the boots.
"But look at Nick Riewoldt, he's coming on 35 I think, so that gives me a little bit of hope that I'll get there.
"He was a centre half-forward for a number of years gone into the midfield now.
"Then I look at Sam Mitchell (34), Shaun Burgoyne (34), (Josh) Gibson (33), it's about looking after your body and making sure you're in good condition, and I've got no doubts I'll get there."
Franklin said he never doubted he would return to the game in 2016 after he took leave just before the 2015 finals series to deal with a mental health issue.
He said having Swans legend and the competition's all-time leading goalkicker Tony Lockett coaching at the club was special and that 'Plugger' had helped with his ball drop when kicking for goal.
Franklin needs five goals against Collingwood at the SCG on Friday to reach 800 and six will take him past Matthew Richardson into outright 11th on the all-time list headed by Lockett on 1360.
