COULD this be the Kennett Curse 2.0?
Speaking on Melbourne radio Nova on Wednesday, the ever-quotable Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett claimed Sydney superstar Lance Franklin doesn't fire against his former club.
Franklin was a star for the Hawks for nine seasons before he was poached by the Swans on a nine-year, $10 million deal.
"I've known Lance for many, many years, he's a great guy and he's grown tremendously over the years, but he's never played well against Hawthorn," he said.
Just as when Kennett went on Offsiders in 2009 to brag about Hawthorn's mental edge over Geelong, only for the Cats to win the next 11 games between the clubs, his latest claim doesn't exactly pass muster either.
BACK BUDDY IN: Coach allays Franklin fears
He had 21 touches and took 10 marks in the first Swans-Hawks match in 2014 after his transfer, and if not for his wonky radar – he kicked 2.7 – the Swans would have won by considerably more than 19 points.
The Hawks beat the Swans handsomely in the Grand Final later that year, but Franklin with four goals, was the one Sydney player to cause the Hawks some headaches.
Franklin also played well in the 2016 MCG clash between the clubs, and his 3.2 made the difference in a low-scoring encounter.
His long bomb from outside 50 in the last few minutes sank the final dagger into the Hawks at the end of an emotional night.
Only days earlier, his close mate and Hawks spearhead Jarryd Roughead announced he had cancer.
All up, he has kicked 21.22 in nine games against his former club.
Franklin is in doubt for the blockbuster on Saturday night because of a groin injury and Kennett – who won't be at the game – said Franklin would be missed.
| SEASON | ROUND | K | M | HB | Disp | Goals | Beh | Brownlow | Result |
| 2014 | 8 | 15 | 10 | 6 | 21 | 2 | 7 | 1 | Swans |
| 2014 | 18 | 13 | 7 | 5 | 18 | 3 | 5 | 0 | Hawks |
| 2014 | GF | 11 | 5 | 3 | 14 | 4 | 2 | 0 | Hawks |
| 2015 | 8 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Swans |
| 2015 | 16 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 0 | Hawks |
| 2016 | 9 | 12 | 4 | 4 | 16 | 3 | 2 | 0 | Swans |
| 2016 | 17 | 12 | 6 | 7 | 19 | 0 | 2 | 0 | Hawks |
| 2017 | 10 | 12 | 6 | 4 | 16 | 5 | 1 | 2 | Hawks |
| 2017 | 19 | 11 | 5 | 2 | 13 | 1 | 1 | 0 | Hawks |
| TOTAL | 103 | 49 | 34 | 137 | 21 | 22 | 3 | ||
| AVERAGE | 11 | 5 | 4 | 15 | 2 | 2 |
"I love playing against Buddy and I'm sorry if he's not playing this weekend and I can understand if he has a groin injury – if I was Sydney I wouldn't be risking him knowing that they are going into the finals," he said.
Asked by radio host Sam Pang whether Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson would prefer not to poke the bear, Kennett was happy to keep going.
"Hang on, you've got to be quite open and honest and that's why I like the challenge – I'm waiting for the day.
"if he plays it's good. I hope he doesn't play if he's genuinely hurt because I think it's better for the competition if he's there in the finals.
"I think his mind transfers back to the brown and gold, you know what it's like."
The winner of Saturday night's clash will finish in the top four and enter the finals with the double chance.
