Lions enter the hunt for Buddy

Hawthorn key forward Lance Franklin in action against the Fremantle Dockers. Picture: Robert Cianflone. Source: Getty Images

BRISBANE has thrown its hat into the ring for AFL superstar Lance "Buddy" Franklin.

The Hawthorn spearhead is off contract at the end of 2013 and sent shockwaves through the competition this year when he put off negotiations until October.

The Lions have entered the race for the most prized signature in the sport by making contact with Franklin's manager. But they face stiff competition from GWS, Adelaide and Fremantle, plus the Hawks, for his once-in-a-generation services.

The 26-year-old will attract offers well in excess of $1 million a season.

The Lions have room to make a competitive offer given they play 95 per cent of their salary cap. The impending retirement of Lions great Simon Black will also free up cash.

Brisbane football manager Dean Warren confirmed the Lions were in the hunt for the flamboyant Franklin (below). "It is our responsibility to look at all possible options with Jonathan Brown in the twilight of his career," Warren said.

"We'd like to think we can offer Lance the opportunity to play with a young, emerging group.

"We can also offer the Queensland lifestyle and the chance to get out of the Melbourne fishbowl.

"Ultimately we feel we are headed in the right direction as a footy club and a key position player like him would only enhance our chances of success. It would certainly create excitement on and off the field."

Gary Ablett was the same age as Franklin when he left Geelong to join the Gold Coast at the end of 2010. The engineer of that blockbuster deal was Liam Pickering, who also looks after Franklin.

The "Buddy bid" may appear pie in the sky but if the Suns can extricate Ablett out of Geelong, anything is possible.

The Lions' desire to land a big-name forward has not waned after missing out on Kurt Tippett last year.

To be a legitimate finals contender, the Lions need to be a serious player in the free agency market.

Brisbane great Alastair Lynch said the northern club had to sell a bright future. Lynch was a star at Fitzroy before joining Brisbane in 1994 on a lucrative 10-year deal.

"I didn't start to entertain the idea of going to Brisbane until I saw that they were going to be good side capable of playing finals," Lynch said.

"They had young players like Michael Voss, Justin Leppitsch and Chris Scott so you could see that Brisbane was heading in the right direction with some of the best young talent in the country.

"That's what Brisbane has to do they need to convince Buddy that they are entering into a successful era with guys like Daniel Rich, Jack Redden, Tom Rockliff, Pearce Hanley and Matthew Leuenberger.

"It's a big call for Buddy to leave a club that is still in a premiership window but Brisbane need to convince him that their window might be opening soon ... The money is going to be pretty much the same from every club that has a crack at him, so it will come down to who can give him the chance to enjoy sustained team success."

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