OF ALL the players in the League, Hawthorn star Lance "Buddy"Franklin shouldappreciate the significance of the AFL Women's Round. Having grown up with fourolder sisters, he's spent most of his time surrounded by the fairer sex.

"I'm pretty close to my sisters," Franklin says. "We'vegot a really good relationship, all of us. I was bullied as a kid, though, Ican tell you that much."

The 20-year-old is not sure that having a quartet of sistershas helped his dealings with the opposite sex, but he says he has certainly learneda bit about women from Bree, Bianca, Rechelle and Katherine.

"You get to know a lot about the way girls act. Whenthey're all talking, I just sit back and listen," he says.

Franklin'ssister Bianca plays netball for Melbourne Kestrels, and he says having a sportysister to help and support him with his career had been beneficial.

"Growing up she was always there for me, offeringsupport. She played sport full-time and was living at the Australian Instituteof Sport, so she was always giving me tips on recovery and that sort of stuff.It was really good growing up with a sister who was into sport too," Franklin says.

His siblings readily offer their opinion on what he shouldbe doing – more off the field than on it, he says.

"They just want me to settle down and get a girlfriend,but I just haven't found the right one yet. I'd be nervous bringing back a girlto meet them, though," he says with a laugh.

The youngest of the Franklinclan has had another sporting influence in the person of Bianca's boyfriend,rugby union star Matt Giteau. But he insists the two do not talk shop when theyget together.

"We don't really talk about sport at all. We have moreof a friendship. When you're around football 24/7, you want to get away from itand talk about other things."

The No.1 influence in his life, the young Hawk says, is hismum, Ursula.

"I reckon my mum hasn't missed a game of football sinceI was six years old. She was always the one driving me to training and drivingme to games. She still does my washing for me. I'm the baby boy of the family.She does all my cooking as well. She always does a spaghetti bolognese for methe night before a game. I can't tell you the recipe, though."

As for his biggest influences at the club, Franklin lists Trent Croad and Ben Dixon asthe senior players he is closest to.

"They always tell me just to be happy and enjoy myfootball and always look at the positives. If you're not happy off the pitch, Idon't reckon you can be happy on the pitch," Franklin says.

The talented forward spends most time with his fellowdraftees Jordan Lewis and Jaryd Roughead. Franklinsays he enjoys playing alongside and sharing the goalscoring duties with Roughyin particular.

"It's good having him up in the forward line with me.It's good having another big body up there. If he and I and Tim Boyle get a fewgoals, then we're happy. We like to share it around. Everyone's going to havetheir day out."

Sharing the spoils wasn't the way it panned out in round sixagainst the Bombers, when Franklinkicked a career-high nine majors. But he wasn't entirely comfortable with allthe attention he received afterwards.

"I'd rather not do media after games," he says. "ButI suppose you have to do it. You can't just not chat to people. It was prettybusy after that game."

And as for comparisons to other leading forwards – such as theBrisbane Lions' Jonathan Brown, whom the Hawks will aim to contain this weekendat the MCG – Franklinis staying modest.

"If I was half as good as Jonathan Brown I'd be all right,"he says.