HAWTHORN forward Lance Franklin's manager Liam Pickering has defended his star client, saying his drop in form is unrelated to speculation surrounding his future.

Writing for Sportsmate Mobile's Footy Live iPhone and Android app, Pickering said the superstar forward had merely come up against two solid opponents.

"All players have games where things just don't happen for them.

"Buddy would be the first to admit he has played better games than against North Melbourne and Adelaide.

"Credit must be given to Scott Thompson and Daniel Talia, who both played very well on him."

Pickering pointed out that Franklin's form leading in to the last two games had shown no signs of distraction.

"Admittedly, his last two weeks – where he hasn't kicked a goal – haven't been his best games, however his form to that point was pretty good," Pickering wrote. 

"I'm sure he will bounce back hard this week."