DEAR Buddy, please don't go.

That's the plea from eight-year-old Hawthorn fan Eddie Shearer, whose letter to superstar free agent Lance Franklin was read out by Hawks president Andrew Newbold at the club's pre-game function at Etihad Stadium on Friday night.

Franklin has put contract talks with Hawthorn on hold until the end of the season, with reports speculating he could earn as much as $2 million a year if he switched to Greater Western Sydney.

But young Eddie has outlined several reasons the four-time All Australian should ignore the dollar signs and stay put.

"Dear Buddy," he wrote in the letter read out by Newbold.

"I really want you to stay at the Hawks. There are lots of reasons why.

"Because you made Hawthorn get into the Grand Final, and at GWS you will not get to play in a Grand Final.

"And you have so many supporters that love you, and there will be no more number 23, and they will be very sad.

"And you will not get so many goals, like when you got 13 goals. And why you would not get so many goals is that their midfield would not get the ball down to you like the Hawks do.

"From Eddie Shearer."

Newbold promised to pass the letter on to Franklin after the Hawks' clash with West Coast.

The letter evokes memories of Western Bulldogs hall of fame forward Chris Grant, who was offered big money to join Port Adelaide at the end of 1996.

Grant received a letter and 20 cents in the mail from young Bulldogs supporter Ryan Adams, asking him not to leave.

He elected to stay at the Whitten Oval, and finished his career as a one-club, 341-game champion of the Bulldogs.

It remains to be seen whether Eddie Shearer can have the same impact on Franklin.