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Franklin helps Swans farewell greats in style

August 24, 2019 5:52 pm in by

LANCE Frankin has kicked four goals in his 300th AFL appearance, as Sydney farewells some of their 2012 premiership heroes in fine style with a 45-point win over St Kilda at the SCG.

The Swans kicked 11 goals to three in Saturday afternoon’s second half to punish the wayward Saints, winning 17.7 (109) to 8.16 (64).

Franklin, who had missed eight games with hamstring issues, banged over some trademark long goals after a slow start.

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In a fairytale finish in front of a crowd of adoring Swans supporters, Jarrad McVeigh and Kieren Jack each kicked a goal in the final quarter of their last games before retiring.

McVeigh’s major meant he kicked at least one goal in each of his 16 seasons, and he moved up to joint second on the Swans’ appearance list with 325 games, level with former teammate Jude Bolton, who was at the ground.

With two other retiring Swans – Nick Smith and Heath Grundy, who weren’t playing, also chaired off the ground with Franklin – it was close to a perfect day for the majority of the 33,722 crowd.

One of the players chairing McVeigh off was former long-term teammate Dan Hannebery, one of the Saints’ best on the day.

Sydney looked on course for a comfortable win after their highest-scoring first quarter of the season, kicking 6.2 to lead by 21 points at quarter-time.

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But, St Kilda threatened to play the role of party pooper after a dominant second term and hit the front by three points in the third.

The Saints lifted their intensity in the second, kicking the only three goals of the quarter and winning 10 more contested possessions on their way to levelling the scores by halftime.

Franklin didn’t see much of the ball early on and spent part of the first quarter on the bench.

Sydney had five goalkickers before Franklin notched his first major from a set shot after marking a Ben Ronke kick.

While the day was about Sydney’s veterans, their youngsters excelled.

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Tom McCartin kicked three goals, coming back after an early injury, while Jordan Dawson, Nick Blakey and Tom Papley also shone.

St Kilda finished 3-3 under caretaker coach Brett Ratten with both teams missing the finals.

© AAP 2019

SYDNEY 6.2 6.3 11.4 17.7 (109)

ST KILDA 2.5 5.9 7.12 8.16 (64)

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Goals: Sydney: L Franklin 4 T McCartin 3 J Kennedy 2 L Parker 2 T Papley 2 J McVeigh J Rowbottom K Jack N Blakey. St Kilda: J Bruce 2 S Ross 2 B Long J Steele J Steven T Membrey.

Umpires: Jeff Dalgleish, Robert Findlay, Andre Gianfagna.

Official Crowd: 33,722 at SCG.

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