Tigers great Kevin Bartlett has declared that Swans star Buddy Franklin can win the Brownlow Medal this season.
Franklin's has accomplished plenty in his decorated career - two premierships, four Coleman Medals and eight All-Australians. But he is yet to add a Brownlow to his trophy cabinet.
The exciting forward's best effort came in 2014 when he polled 22 votes to finish second to West Coast's Matt Priddis.
Bartlett believes if Franklin can spend more time up the ground this season, he is every chance to take home Charlie.
“I was reading today that John Longmire said they’ve got Nick Blakey, he’s about 196(cm) and can play up forward,” Bartlett told EN’s KB & The Doc.
“They’ve got Sam Reid coming back from injury, they’ve got Dan Menzel up forward as well.
“They may play Buddy a bit further up the ground.
“Let me make a prediction: If they play Buddy up the ground off a wing, like they did with Matthew Richardson at Tigerland, he can win the Brownlow Medal.”
Bartlett's co-host John ‘Dr Turf’ Rothfield envisioned the Swans needing Franklin in attack due to the health concerns of their forward line.
“I am not going to argue with you because he is a freakish talent,” Dr Turf added.
“I'd be more concerned about Sam Reid and Menzel seeing the season out, health-wise.
“(But) Buddy’s capable of anything.”
Franklin has polled a total of 167 Brownlow votes over his career to sit top 20 in the all-time vote getters.
