UPDATE
Collingwood has apologised on behalf of its fans in relation to the poor fan behaviour directed at Lance Franklin on Sunday.
In a statement authored by Darcy Moore, Craig McRae and Craig Kelly, the trio acknowledged Franklin’s position as a great of the game and added they hope for respect from their fans going forward.
See the statement below.
We apologise to the Sydney Swans and to Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin.
The Club does not support booing, particularly champions of the game.
Yesterday was the first time we played the Swans at the MCG in a decade – it provided an opportunity to respect a champion of the game and we fell short.
Buddy is a great of Australian Football – what he has achieved on the field over a long period of time demands a high level of respect.
To our Members and supporters, we are on an exciting journey at Collingwood and we do not take for granted the unwavering support you provide us with at every game – home or away. Our fans turn up like no other – you’re our 19th player – you’re loud, you’re passionate, you’re emotional.
We hope the next time we get the chance to witness a champion of the game we treat them with respect, the same respect we ask for when it comes to our players and our champions.
When our Club has the opportunity, we stand Side by Side with the greats of our game.
EARLIER
Sydney CEO Tom Harley has echoed his coach’s comments in calling out the “mindless” booing of Lance Franklin during the Swans’ loss to Collingwood on Sunday.
John Longmire was strong in his defence of Franklin and questioned why Magpies fans would boo the AFL great in the absence of an incident.
In what was a spirited contest, Harley said putting players off wasn’t a plausible reason to boo a player.
“I think it’s just really boorish behaviour and I thought John Longmire’s comments were absolutely spot on,” he told SEN’s Dwayne’s World.
“We at the Swans are privileged to have seen Lance up close and personal for 10 years… I just don’t understand why you’d do that.
“When you look at booing across the competition of any player unrelated to an incident during a game, it is just mindless and that was certainly the way that I thought it played out yesterday.
“We’re all about celebrating Lance Franklin and all the great things he’s done, so yeah, I was disappointed.”
Throughout the 29-point win, Collingwood fans also gave it to Tom Papley, who was one of several Swans to put plenty of physical attention into Nick Daicos.
But Harley pointed to the difference being a lack of motive surrounding the booing of Franklin, who finished goalless from 13 touches at the MCG.
“I guess the thing with Lance specifically, it wasn’t related – that I can think of – to a specific incident in the game,” he added.
“There was a melee and a few fracas and those sorts of things and that does rile the fans… it was totally unrelated, which was the disappointing thing about Lance.”
Sydney fans famously booed Jack Ginnivan late last year when pictures of the then injured 19-year-old were broadcast on the SCG big screen.
Harley conceded the Franklin booing was part of a wider issue that he hopes to see fall out of the game, with the Jason Horne-Francis situation also drawing paralells in terms of a lack of motive.
The Sydney boss also shed light on discussions with Franklin after the game.
When asked if Franklin was upset, Harley responded: “No, no… I won’t speak on behalf on Lance, but he was disappointed by the loss and he’s a fierce competitor, but not specific to this.
“I’m not just talking on behalf of Lance and the Sydney Swans… I’d like to make the point… surely we can do better than just booing.”
With Franklin’s stature in the game, Harley was also asked about similarities to the booing of Adam Goodes that plagued the final years of the Brownlow Medallist’s career.
But he stated that both scenarios should be judged on their own merits.
Despite challenging ladder-leaders Collingwood for much of Sunday’s contest, the Swans have won three of their opening five games in dealing with an ongoing injury crisis.
A clash with Fremantle looms this Saturday before a game against North Melbourne as opportunities to get some momentum back into a stuttering season.