Lance Franklin confides in Swans runner Nick Davis. Picture: Phil Hillyard Source: Philip Hillyard / News Corp Australia
SYDNEY star Lance Franklin has found a new goalkicking mentor in former sharpshooter and now club runner Nick Davis — and it's paying dividends.
While Franklin downplayed his work with Davis yesterday, his manager Liam Pickering confirmed the pair had formed a strong bond, resulting in the former Hawk's improved accuracy in recent weeks.
Franklin has kicked nine goals without a miss, scoring five in a row against Port Adelaide (after starting with 0.4) and four straight against Richmond last week.
Since kicking 2.7 against his old side, Hawthorn, in Round 8, the dual Coleman Medallist has kicked 21.10 in five matches.
Pickering said Franklin had benefited from his work with Davis, who famously kicked four final-term goals for Sydney in the 2005 semi-final to sink Geelong.
"He's developed a very close relationship with Nick Davis and he has worked with him on his goalkicking," Pickering said.
"Nick has become a bit of a mentor. They get on really well together and enjoy working with each other.
"We all know how good Nick was when it came to kicking for goal."
Pickering said Franklin had "definitely changed his approach a bit and he's getting the rewards now".
Davis kicked 235.135 in 168 games for Sydney and Collingwood, and has been the Swans' runner for the past three seasons.
Cartoon: Macca Source: Supplied
Franklin has kicked 35.25 this season, with his accuracy spiking in recent weeks.
He said yesterday that hard work on the training track over the past six weeks had resulted in his rich vein of form — and his accuracy in that time.
He struggled with some knee soreness earlier in the season, but has moved more freely in recent weeks.
Franklin yesterday disagreed that he was in the best form of his career: "Not necessarily. I think I've been talked up a little bit."
"I'm just playing my role for the footy club and I'm enjoying it.
"I don't go into a game saying that I want to get this many kicks, this many marks or this many goals.
"I just want to go out there and play my role for the footy club. And if the goals come, and the marks come, they come."
Franklin is hopeful Kurt Tippett can return to the Swans' line-up to take on Greater Western Sydney on Saturday.
"It does help having Tippo back in the side," Franklin said.
"He's such a big presence up forward and always takes a good defender with him.
"So hopefully he'll be out there this weekend with me."
The Giants shocked the Swans with the season's biggest upset in Round 1, but Franklin is confident his team can win its 10th successive match.
"We just can't wait to get out there Saturday night and get another win and go from there," he said.
"GWS have been playing pretty good football the last couple of weeks, so we're going to have our work cut out against a quality outfit.
"We're looking forward to the challenge."
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