Hawthorn star Lance Franklin is struggling to maintain his early season form, failing to kick a goal in two weeks and unable to contain his frustration on the field.
Lance Franklin dances through traffic in the 2012 Grand Final. Picture: Michael Klein Source: Herald Sun
PLAYING alongside one of the greatest forwards in AFL history has convinced Sydney coach John Longmire it would be counter-productive to niggle out-of-sorts Hawthorn champion Lance Franklin in Saturday's MCG blockbuster.
Franklin has been held goalless in the Hawks' past two games, contributing a total of seven behinds in the wins against North Melbourne and Adelaide.
The Hawks spearhead has looked frustrated at times, but Longmire wasn't interested in getting his defenders to test Franklin's temper in the rematch of the 2012 Grand Final.
"No, my experience with the very best players - that's not something you try and do," Longmire said today.
"I saw some niggling tactics trying to be applied to (North Melbourne teammate) Wayne Carey and they weren't that successful, so no.
"We go about our business and try and make sure we beat them as we should, which is in a really good strong contest."
Longmire said he hadn't seen any evidence of anger in Franklin and felt the forward was actually going about things the right way.
"He's been working hard and presenting and the the best way of playing well is to do the things he's been doing," Longmire said.
"You know eventually it turns, particularly with the very, very best players and he is one of the very best players."
Longmire wants his players to avoid indiscriminately bombing the ball into their forward 50 on Saturday to minimise the spoiling skills of Brian Lake and Josh Gibson.
"We've got to make sure that we don't kick the ball to Brian's advantage because up in the air he and Gibson are two of probably the best spoilers in the game," Longmire said.
"You can't afford to just bang it into your forward line and expect the ball is going to be kept in there, because when they spoil it, they spoil it 20 or 30m."
Longmire revealed premiership-winning defender Rhyce Shaw was set to miss another two games with his abdominal injury, having already been sidelined for the past four.
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