{"id":305480,"date":"2023-06-08T01:56:47","date_gmt":"2023-06-08T01:56:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=305480"},"modified":"2023-06-08T02:59:29","modified_gmt":"2023-06-08T02:59:29","slug":"bartel-urges-afl-to-make-unusual-buddy-exception","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=305480","title":{"rendered":"Bartel urges AFL to make unusual Buddy exception"},"content":{"rendered":"

Geelong<\/a> champion Jimmy Bartel<\/a> has asked the AFL<\/a> to consider bending the rules to bestow a huge honour on Lance Franklin<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The man known as Buddy will play his 350th senior game on Thursday night when he runs onto the SCG with the Swans<\/a> against St Kilda.<\/p>\n

Franklin sits fourth on the VFL\/AFL all-time goal kickers list, and is one of only six players to ever surpass 1000 career goals.<\/p>\n

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\ufeffAside from that, Franklin's list of achievements is unrivalled.<\/p>\n

Across nine seasons with Hawthorn and a further 10 with Sydney he has won the Coleman Medal four times, twice won Goal of the Year, has made eight All-Australian teams, and is the only player to ever kick 500 goals both in Victoria and outside the state.<\/p>\n

\"Lance<\/p>\n

\ufeffHe is also the most recent player to kick 100 goals in a single season, achieving it last in 2008.<\/p>\n

Now, Bartel is urging the AFL to consider inducting Franklin – as well as retired Geelong great Gary Ablett Jr – into the Hall of Fame's Legend category immediately.<\/p>\n

"\ufeffJust do it. Why wouldn't you?" Bartel posed on Nine's Yesterday's Heroes<\/em> podcast<\/a>.<\/p>\n

"Everything about their career says legend, doesn't it?<\/p>\n

"If he's already got the numbers that says he's a legend, why not make him a legend?"<\/p>\n

The rules state a player must have been retired for five years before they can be considered for Hall of Fame induction.<\/p>\n

\"Jimmy<\/p>\n

And to be bestowed with "legend" status is much rarer. Only 32 players have been elevated to legend status to date.<\/p>\n

Podcast host Bruce Eva is a fan of Franklin and Ablett, but could not agree with Bartel's suggestion.<\/p>\n

"Nah, that's a bridge too far," Eva said.<\/p>\n

"It would set a precedent we haven't seen as yet. I'm not saying it's wrong, but that's not the way the Hall of Fame works is it?\ufeff"<\/p>\n

Bartel – who won three premierships with Geelong and is a Cats Hall of Fame member – played against Franklin many times throughout his career.<\/p>\n

\"Legends<\/p>\n

He gave an insight into just how freakish the now-Swans forward really is.<\/p>\n

"Incredibly awkward match-up, huge presence, skilful. The other guys who have kicked 1000 goals, the build on them… big (and) burly. (Franklin) is six (foot) six (inches) and athletically built," Bartel explained.<\/p>\n

"If he wants to jump in a row-boat he's got a nice build, if he wants to open the bowling for Australia he has a nice build. Whatever sport build you need, you're probably picking Lance Franklin near the top of the tree.<\/p>\n

"We needed a halfback flanker who's over six foot three to play on him, who can run like the wind.<\/p>\n

"It's been extraordinary the consistency he's had.\ufeff"<\/p>\n

While Franklin has not announced his pending retirement, it's widely believed this season will be his last in the AFL.<\/p>\n

\ufeffFor a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by<\/strong><\/em> clicking here<\/strong><\/em><\/a>!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Geelong champion Jimmy Bartel has asked the AFL to consider bending the rules to bestow a huge honour on Lance Franklin. The man known as […]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":305482,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/305480"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=305480"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/305480\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":305486,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/305480\/revisions\/305486"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/305482"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=305480"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=305480"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=305480"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}