This Friday night will mark the ninth occasion Swan Lance Franklin lines up against his former side Hawthorn since leaving the Hawks at the end of the 2013 season.
Over his previous eight games against the club that selected him with the fifth pick in the 2005 draft, Buddy has enjoyed many memorable moments including kicking 2.7 in his first encounter against the Hawks.
Franklin was also among the Swans’ best in the 2014 Grand Final, when he kicked four goals for the losing side.
A lesser known fact is that only the Fremantle Dockers represent a tougher opposition than the Hawks in terms of Franklin's goalkicking return.
Read: Swans prepare to face former teammate Mitchell
The 30-year old has played Fremantle 15 times, winning 11 of those games, but averaging “only” 2.27 goals per game.
The Hawks, the next stingiest defenders of their former favourite son, have limited Franklin to 2.5 goals per game.
Undoubtedly it is a high standard if 2.5 goals a game is amongst his worst return against an opposition side, but nevertheless, it is interesting that Franklin has yet to truly take hold of the Hawthorn defence.
Buddy’s best game against the Hawks came earlier this year in Round 10’s Indigenous game.
Franklin was at his dominant best on the night, kicking five goals to be awarded the Goodes-O’Loughlin Medal for the best player on the ground.
The young Hawthorn defence faces a tough test this Friday night in limiting Franklin, who has kicked 11 goals over his last three matches.
Read: One Hawk in Round 18 team of the week
