Lance Franklin in his milestone recreation on the SCG is a nasty AFL situation for St Kilda.
After the earlier two editions, it is a development the Saints should reverse this Thursday evening as they attempt to maintain their season on observe.
Franklin will be part of Eddie Betts on 350 video games, with Shaun Burgoyne (407) and Adam Goodes (372) the one Indigenous gamers boasting extra AFL matches.
The Swans star celebrated his 2 hundredth recreation with a nine-goal haul in a win over the Saints on the identical floor.
Franklin’s three hundredth recreation featured 4 objectives, once more in a win over St Kilda on the SCG.
While the considered Franklin slicing free provides all opposition defenders nightmares, he has additionally earned a lot respect that Saints backman Callum Wilkie sees Thursday evening as a privilege.
“I played in his 300th – lucky I didn’t get the job that day,” Wilkie mentioned.
“It’s almost games you look back on and you’re happy you were part of those milestones – he’s such a champion player.
“I’ve been fortunate sufficient to play on him a number of instances and also you’re all the time in a little bit of awe, who you are standing, what he is performed for the sport.
“It will be a special night.”
Just as will probably be a giant evening for Sydney and Franklin, St Kilda will head north on a mission.
They come off their mid-season bye smarting from the upset round-11 loss to Hawthorn.
After a sizzling begin to the season underneath returning coach Ross Lyon, St Kilda are beginning to look off the boil.
Wilkie mentioned the loss to Hawthorn stung.
“Our effort had tapered off – we probably played some inconsistent footy in the last month or so,” Wilkie mentioned.
“It was a good reminder coming into this week, seeing how poor our effort was and our compliance with structure – which are all little fixes.
“The means we went about it, even when we did win that recreation, we should not have … we did not play Saints footy.”
That left the Saints 7-4, one less win than at the same point last season.
“You can not help however give it some thought, as a result of it was final yr,” Wilkie mentioned.
“But we now have a superb system in place, the boys are hungry and desperate to get again to Saints footy.”
St Kilda fans will remember clearly what happened at Moorabbin after last year’s mid-season bye. The club re-signed coach Brett Ratten, only to sack him three months later when they failed to make the finals.
And in more worrying history for the Saints, their record at the SCG is woeful.
They have lost their past seven games at the ground, last beating Sydney there by a point in 2009 en route to the grand final.
St Kilda have won just two of their past 17 games at the SCG.
Much has been made of the new-look Ross Lyon in his return to coaching St Kilda this season, but Wilkie acknowledged there had been a little less “cuddly Ross” over the previous couple of days.
“He’s been a bit of bit sharper this week and deservedly so,” Wilkie mentioned.
“He’s been sharp when he must be, he is been cuddly when he must be. He has a superb steadiness.”
“BUDDY’S” MILESTONE GAMES AGAINST ST KILDA
100 – Hawthorn v St Kilda in Launceston, 8/8/09 – Franklin no scoring, St Kilda win
200 – Sydney v St Kilda at the SCG, 16/8/14 – Franklin kicks 9.4, Sydney win by 71
300 – Sydney v St Kilda on the SCG 24/8/19 – Franklin kicks 4.2, Sydney win by 45
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
