Footy fans have turned out in droves to meet their idol, recently retired AFL legend Lance “Buddy” Franklin, during his fleeting return to Perth to sign copies of his new book.
Some queued for hours on Saturday outside Dymocks book shop in Westfield Booragoon for their signed copy of the former Sydney player’s autobiography Lance Franklin: My Football Journey.
Making a rare return to the State of his birth, the former Sydney and Hawthorn champion smiled for his fans but declined any media interviews.
Eleven-year-old Damon Dowell and his father Matthew were so keen to meet the legend they wore their Sydney colours and made the trip up from Rockingham two hours early.
After buying four books, they bought one more so they could line up again to ask Franklin to sign Damon’s teddy — because he was too shy to ask the first time.
Mr Dowell said Damon had followed the Swans his whole life, and Franklin had played for them since he was one year old. “So that’s all he knows,” he said.
Peter Codispoti, 20, who wore a Hawthorn jersey to the event, said even though Franklin was his “favourite player of all time”, he was tongue-tied when he passed his book over to be signed.
“I didn’t know what to say,” he said.
Franklin touched down in Perth on Saturday morning for his first trip to WA since his final game in the west against Fremantle back in July.
He retired immediately in round 20 of this season after a calf injury brought a close to a glittering 354-game career and now lives on the Gold Coast with his family.
Despite his long domination of the AFL arena where he finished with more than 1000 goals, Franklin has rarely been one for the spotlight and has made few public appearances since his retirement from AFL.
He turned down an opportunity to be farewelled at the MCG on grand final day, instead finishing with a lap of honour in Sydney’s last home and away game at halftime against Melbourne.
Franklin didn’t even attend his own retirement press conference with Swans coach John Longmire stating it wasn’t him.