AFL: Buddy moves, we might pay

Lance Franklin has delayed contract talks with Hawthorn until the end of the season, prompting fears he could be headed elsewhere. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun

Swans champion Tony Lockett was paid by the league as an ambassador in an expansion market. Picture: George Salpigtidis Source: Herald Sun

LANCE Franklin could be paid by the AFL outside the salary cap should he choose to leave Hawthorn for Greater Western Sydney.

The AFL would consider making Franklin an ambassador of the game, as it did rugby league converts Israel Folau and Karmichael Hunt.

But the league would not enter into an arrangement until after Franklin had committed to the Giants.

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou yesterday confirmed a precedent existed where an AFL player - Tony Lockett - was paid by the league as an ambassador in an expansion market.

Lockett joined Sydney from St Kilda in 1995.

Demetriou yesterday stressed the AFL would not be part of any deal to send Franklin north, but would look at a proposal from GWS after Franklin had signed.

"It would be assessed on its merits, and if it made sense, our guys would put a recommendation in," Demetriou said.

"Under no circumstances are they to enter into an arrangement with a club to entice a player to go somewhere on the basis we are going to top up his salary."

The game's most dynamic player has delayed contract talks with Hawthorn until the end of the season, prompting fears he could be headed elsewhere.

His manager, Liam Pickering, said at the weekend he had not fielded offers from another club.

GWS chief executive David Matthews would not comment on recruiting, although it is understood the Giants, who last week re-signed several players, including key forward Jonathon Patton, would now put Franklin on the agenda.

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The club has room in its salary cap to pay Franklin about $1.2 million a season.

Demetriou, who believes Franklin will stay at the Hawks, said an ambassador's role had to be "unique".

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"If there's going to be an ambassador, it's got to be because the player is doing something unique and they're helping us promote the game," he said.

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"The last player who went to Sydney on that sort of basis was Tony Lockett, and he was an ambassador, so there is a precedent for it.

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"We set up Karmichael Hunt and Israel Folau because they were two rugby league players and we paid them quite publicly outside the cap. And they did a lot of work in that role."

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The AFL also has appointed 11 multicultural ambassadors, including Richmond's Bachar Houli, Collingwood's Harry O'Brien, St Kilda's Leigh Montagna and West Coast's Nic Naitanui.

Demetriou said splitting Franklin's contract was not an option.

"We couldn't have a discussion with GWS to say we'll give him $5 and you give him $2 and we can give him $7 ... we wouldn't be party to that," he said.

It's not fair to the other clubs."

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