1000 Goals

Lance “Buddy” Franklin

Friday night’s ground invasion when Sydney’s (Nee Hawthorn’s) Lance “Buddy” Franklin kicked his 1000th goal was an incredible moment and a reminder of all that is great about AFL footy. It was just so Australian.

Thousands streamed onto the SCG, mobile phone cameras in hand, to share the moment. It was chaotic and sparked some COVID-19 and safety fears for Franklin, his teammates, Geelong players and the crowd. But the sentiment was overwhelmingly cheerful and carefree, and Franklin himself wasn’t scared .“I was lapping it up, to be honest with you,” he later said. For two years we’ve had COVID-affected seasons and too many crowd-free games. Spectacles like Friday’s will hopefully encourage those who may still be hesitant, whether it’s due to COVID fears, complicated ticketing, scheduling, or public transport disruption, to pack the stands again.

It showed that nothing beats attending your favourite sports game and creating lifelong memories. Buddy won 2 premierships, 4 All-Australian selections, 2 Coleman Medals and a Peter Crimmins Medal in his time at Hawthorn. He was Hawthorn's leading goalkicker for 6 consecutive seasons Now at Sydney he has won a further 4 Coleman Medals and 4 All Australian selections. Buddy Franklin - Bloody Legend