LANCE Franklin has again said he wants to stay at Hawthorn, but he won't re-sign before the end of the season, despite a revised contract offer from the club.
The four-time All Australian will be a free agent at year's end, and is reportedly the subject of a huge money approach from Greater Western Sydney.
The Hawks have responded with what president Andrew Newbold described as the largest contract offer in the club's history, but that has as yet not been enough to secure the star forward's signature.
"As I said at the start of the season, I'll make my decision at the end of the season," Franklin reiterated on Wednesday.
"I want to stay at Hawthorn.
"I love the football club; they've been great for me for nearly nine years, so that's where it stands at the moment.
"There are a few things that we'll weigh up at the end of the season, but that's between me and my manager and the football club.
"So we'll wait and see."
Franklin admitted the constant attention around his contract had taken a personal toll.
"To be honest, you can't say it hasn't been a distraction – it has been a little bit," he said.
"But it is what it is.
"At the end of the day I made my decision to leave it until the end of the season, and that's the way it stands."
However, Hawthorn's position at the top of the ladder stood as evidence that the saga has not distracted the team, he said
"I don't think any contracts at our football club have ever affected the way the guys play, and that's been the same with my contract this year," Franklin said.
"The boys have just gone about their business, and we've won a lot of games of football.
"We've only lost three games, so it hasn't affected the way we play at all."
Franklin was speaking at the launch of the 'Buddy Boot', a leisure boot he has designed in consultation with Mack Boots.
