Hawthorn may only receive a draft pick at the end of the first round as compensation, if Lance Franklin decides to leave as a restricted free agent.
Lance Franklin has put contract talks with Hawthorn on hold until the end of the season. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun
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LANCE Franklin says he wants to stay at Hawthorn, but recent history means his words will do little to allay Hawks fears of a dramatic departure.
Franklin, 26, will become a restricted free agent in October, making him available to offers from rival clubs. He chose to suspend contract talks with Hawthorn until season's end.
The superstar forward yesterday declared he had "no intentions of leaving".
"I obviously love Hawthorn. They've been an absolutely great footy club for myself and I'm coming up to my ninth season," Franklin said.
"It was my decision. It was something I wanted to do and I wanted to leave it until the end of the season.
"I know there's going to be a lot of speculation about what I'm going to be doing at the end of the season. I've got no intentions of leaving the football club, but it is what it is - I just want to play footy."
Gary Ablett, Tom Scully, Brendon Goddard and Kurt Tippett chose to delay contract talks in the past three years, citing the need to concentrate on their football and stressing their intent to stay. All left.
Only days after cancelling negotiations, Franklin fronted the media yesterday in his role as captain for the indigenous All-Stars side that plays Richmond on Friday, and he was unapologetic over his decision.
"It's going to be a distraction and obviously the footy club is shocked that I didn't sign either, but it's my decision," he said.
"I don't get entangled in anyone else's contracts or any boys from the the footy club. It's just something that's not talked about, internally it won't be spoken about.
"We'll just look forward to playing footy and hopefully winning a premiership."
Asked if he was open to leaving for another club, Franklin said: "No, not at this stage. I want to stay at Hawthorn, but I just want to leave it until the end of the season and go from there."
He rejected suggestions his decision would haunt Hawthorn throughout the season, much like it did for Collingwood during last year's Travis Cloke saga.
"Not at all. The football club we've got is very strong, we've got some really good leaders and our group is very tight," Franklin said.
"I have no real issues there. It's obviously going to be the media that is going to pump it up more than ever. It is what it is and I'll just wait until the end of the season and make my decision then."
A 2008 premiership player and two-time Coleman medallist, Franklin is arguably the game's biggest drawcard.
Industry speculation puts Hawthorn's offer about $1 million a year over four years.
It is understood Franklin, was last year not among the games biggest eight earners, who all received more than $1 million in total earnings.
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Franklin's contract revelation led to a media frenzy across the weekend, with the line from Buddy's management eerily similar to that of Tom Scully, Gary Ablett and Kurt Tippett before that trio walked out on their clubs.
SuperFooty explained how history revealed this could spell disastrous news for the Hawks, while club legend Dermott Brereton told the Herald Sun that Franklin had made the right decision.
It was also revealed that Franklin had not struck a secret pact with Magpie-turned-Eagle Sharrod Wellingham to relocate to Perth and again shack up with his former housemate.
But Adelaide jumped on the front foot, yesterday declaring it could make an audacious end-of-season play for the champion goalkicker.
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