Buddy carrying hot form into AFL finals

Sydney star Lance Franklin kicked 18 goals in the last four rounds of the season, including a bag of 10 in the final round of the AFL season against Carlton.

Lance Franklin

Lance Franklin has been instrumental to Sydney's charge, highlighted by 10 goals against Carlton. (AAP)

Sydney's powerhouse forward Buddy Franklin hits the AFL finals series as one of the hottest players among the premiership contenders.

As well as being selected as an All-Australian key forward for the seventh time, and winning his fourth Coleman Medal as leading goalkicker, he was voted the players association's MVP of the month for the first time.

"I'm all good. I'm injury free and I've had a really good run at it," Franklin said at Wednesday night's All-Australian function in Melbourne.

"I haven't missed a game for nearly two years, touch wood. So, I hope the body holds up for the next couple of weeks."

Franklin was crowned August's MVP with 30 per cent of the player vote after kicking 18 goals in the last four home-and-away rounds.

He started the month with a quiet game, only kicking one goal in the win over Geelong.

But the 30-year-old bounced back superbly and put the exclamation mark on his big month with 10 goals and 25 disposals against Carlton in last Saturday's round 23 match at the SCG.

Franklin was pivotal for the Swans with four goals against Fremantle and three against Adelaide before the Carlton game, all of which the Swans won.

He is raring to get back to Sydney to start preparations for Saturday's elimination final against Essendon at the SCG.

"We've had a couple of days off. We're back at training tomorrow (Thursday) and Saturday and then it's a normal week," he said.

Asked what he did with the rest days, Franklin laughed.

"I came down here for this," he said, before escorting wife Jesinta into the All-Australian dinner.

"It's always nice when you can have those couple of days to prepare for next week. It's the way you use it to prepare for what's coming up."

Franklin was surprised that he was the only Sydney player to make the All-Australian team, particularly with captain Josh Kennedy overlooked for the midfield group.

"He had a tremendous year, Josh, and it's unfortunate he didn't make the team. It's just one of those things, the selectors all have their opinions," he said.

"He (Kennedy) had an unbelievable year, I know that and all the boys know that."


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Source: AAP



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