As I have said a few times on this board, the joy I feel when Franklin kicks a goal is unmatched compared to any past or present Swan.
I think that started in the first game I saw him play live, v Port in Round 13 at the SCG in 2014, which is still one of my favourite live games. Buddy's first four scoring shots were behinds and the dude behind me was grumbling about him not being value for money. As you will recall, his next five scores were goals, with some magnificent goals in the final term (including, unbeknownst to me at the time, the goal that inspired Hudson's 'give him a longer contract' call), and we won by 4 in a barn-burner.
Since then, I think the joy is vicarious - a response to his demonstrative joy after each goal and the joy it brings team-mates. It is also reflection of my appreciation of him and pride he plays for us. Finally, it is a sense that every goal is a step closer to history - to 1,000 and beyond.
So, I want to see it. I'll be up in Sydney for the game this week and hopefully up there next Friday night if he misses out this week, although being a Friday night game it is more difficult for me to travel up.
I have been wondering about that the crowd will be. I think I read a few months ago they were hoping for 60,000, but Andrew Wu reported today the expected crowd is 'at least 30,000'. (For what it's worth, Tom Green reckons 'the talk is' 50,000-60,000).
A crowd around 30,000 would be a bit disappointing, and the prospect of a crowd that size puzzles me, particularly as members can register for free entry. In addition to it possibly being the 1,000 goal game, it's the first live game of footy in Sydney in a long time and a game against GWS is pretty enticing as a game of footy - two well-matched teams, and we will be looking to avenge last year's finals defeat.
So, I am curious as to the attitudes of posters on this board to this and have posted a poll to that end. Thanks in advance for the vote!
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