Sydney Swans champion Lance Franklin kicked yet another sensational goal that rivals the three other majors commonly thought to be Buddy's best ever. Where does his latest effort rank amongst the others?
The newest contender (vs. Adelaide - Round 22, 2017):
This was Buddy amazing! #AFLCrowsSwans pic.twitter.com/kpK5ihbvYq
— AFL (@AFL) August 18, 2017
The match winning goal against the Crows in the 2007 Elimination Final:
The "jump" and 75 metre bomb against Collingwood in Round 3, 2013:
The 2010 Goal of the Year on Essendon's Cale Hooker (Round 13, 2010):
The writer’s opinion:
Buddy’s latest effort comes close to his 2010 goal of the year, but falls just short of surpassing it.
What differentiates the two is the start and the finish of the goal. Buddy’s read of the fall of the ball off the contest against Hooker to start the run remains superb, and his finish came from an arguably tighter angle than Friday night’s ripper.
Franklin’s recent goal involved a tinge of good fortune from the initial bounces of the ball before he gathered it, and the amount of his distance he carried in-between the bounces will always be a talking point.
However his ability to recover from the point he dropped the ball just outside 50 at Adelaide Oval was fantastic, and by all means his latest effort for me ranks as the new number two.
Of the other two choices, I rate his 2007 Elimination Final sealer as the third best, purely as the long set shot from the then 20-year-old sealed the Hawks’ coming of age win that would spurn them towards their 2008 flag. It was the first sign of Buddy’s innate ability to kick the big goals under immense pressure in huge games.
The Collingwood goal, while excellent, just can’t compete with the other three.