Media harassment forced Buddy to Sydney, manager claims
Media harassment forced Franklin to Sydney, his manager claims
MELBOURNE'S football fishbowl and constant media harassment pushed Lance Franklin to the Sydney Swans, says his manager Liam Pickering.
Speaking to AFL.com.au's Gillette Trade Radio, Pickering said from the moment Franklin lost his license for speeding in July, 2012, his fate was all but sealed.
He said Franklin was under such scrutiny he could not live in his own house for two to three weeks and decided he'd had enough of living in Melbourne.
"Remember Buddy lost his license for speeding and the car crash (August, 2012, where he was uninjured) and he started to get a bit over Melbourne when he had the media propped outside his house for a week or two," Pickering said.
"At that stage it got a bit on top of him."
Pickering said the Swans were always Franklin's club of choice.
Pickering said he made an initial approach to the Swans over a year ago, but their formal offer came through on only September 13.
Despite the interest from Greater Western Sydney – who offered Franklin a six-year deal worth $1.2 million per year – the two-time premiership player had his heart set on the Swans.
Hawthorn still has the right to match the Swans' offer, but that won't happen.
"I think people just have to get their heads around free agency," Pickering said.
"Everyone wanted this. The players wanted it, everyone had ticked it off, the clubs, the AFL. This is free agency and how it works."
Franklin is unlikely to attend Hawthorn's best and fairest dinner, but Pickering said he would front a press conference at some stage to explain himself in full.
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