Lance “Buddy” Franklin, the Sydney Swans prize recruit and one of the biggest names in the AFL, has been confirmed to be undergoing treatment for a mental health condition. As a result of this, he has been granted time away from the club and will subsequently miss the Swans’ upcoming Qualifying Final clash against Fremantle, scheduled for this coming weekend.
Franklin had played this past weekend in the Swans’ win against the Gold Coast Suns, but the club today confirmed that he will not take his place on the field this Saturday afternoon.
The nature of the issues Franklin is dealing with have not been disclosed, with the club merely stating that it was an “ongoing mental health condition.”
At the moment, there is no firm timeline for Franklin’s return to the field. Club General Manager of Football, Tom Harley, stated that Buddy’s condition had been disclosed to the club previously.
“Our first priority is looking after Lance’s health. Lance has been open with the Club about his condition and while we consider it a private medical matter, he is aware he has our full support.”“The timeframe on his return is unclear at this stage. He will certainly miss this week’s match and we will continue to monitor his condition.”
Franklin crossed over to the Swans at the end of the 2013 season, having played the previous nine years with Hawthorn – including two premierships.
Buddy would easily be the highest profile player to undergo a publicly-known mid-career battle with mental illness. Previously, forward Mitch Clark walked away from the game in 2014 to deal with his ongoing mental health struggles, before returning to the game this season with the Geelong Cats.
The Swans take on the minor premier Dockers in the all-important First Qualifying Final at the Domain Stadium in Perth on Saturday afternoon.
If you think you might be experiencing a mental health issue, visit BeyondBlue or give them a call on 1300 22 4636.
Photo: Michael Dodge via Getty Images.
