Just hours after reports aired suggesting that Lance Franklin would head north at the end of the season to continue his career at Brisbane, the Lions said that they had not spoken to the superstar forward.
Nine News Queensland reporter Michael Atkinson reported on Thursday that the Lions were the frontrunner to secure the services of the forward, who is out of contract at the Swans at the end of the season.
โItโs my understanding that Franklin has informed the Swans that he wonโt be playing in Sydney next year,โ Atkinson said.
โFranklin and his wife Jesinta have a desire to move their family up to Queensland to be closer to family on the Gold Coast.
โBut itโs not the Suns where he wants to keep playing, Buddy wants to win more premierships and heโs identified Brisbane as the club most likely to help him achieve that goal.โ
Despite the report indicating that discussions between the two parties were well underway, an unnamed offical at Brisbane revealed that the club hadn't spoken to Franklin, but would be willing to should he want to make the move.
โBut if he wants to move to Queensland we would have a chat,โ a Lions official toldย News Corp.ย
Swans CEO Tom Harley appeared on 3AW on Thursday prior to the report, and commented on the Swans star, saying while they were no closer to reaching a deal, things were "tracking well".
โThereโs nothing to announce, but thereโs nothing untoward at the same time (on Franklinโs future),โ Harley said on 3AW.
โThereโs no hurry from our point of view and no hurry from his point of view.
โThings are all tracking well at the moment.โ
Yet when contacted by 3AW after the report went live, Harley said the bombshell move was โnews to himโ.
The Swans have made no further comment on the situation as they prepare to travel to Melbourne to take on North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
