Tony Franklin (Australian footballer)

Tony Franklin
Personal information
Full name	Anthony Franklin
Date of birth	(1950-12-18) 18 December 1950 (age 74)
Original team(s)	Penguin
Height	185 cm (6 ft 1 in)
Weight	84 kg (185 lb)
Position(s)	Ruckman/Half forward
Playing career^1
Years	Club	Games (Goals)
1974–1975	South Melbourne	32 (11)
Coaching career
Years	Club	Games (W–L–D)
1984	Sydney Swans	1 (0–1–0)
^1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1975.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Anthony "Tony" Franklin (born 18 December 1950) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with South Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL) during the 1970s.

Originally from the Tasmanian club Penguin, Franklin played mostly as a ruckman and half forward in his two seasons at South Melbourne. His career was dogged by recurring hamstring injuries.[1]

He represented Tasmania at interstate football and won the Lefroy Medal for a performance against Victoria.

After leaving South Melbourne he spent some time in the VFA playing for Sandringham. Franklin rejoined the Swans as a coach, guiding the Reserves team to the 1980 VFL Reserves Grand Final, where they lost by 33 points to Geelong.[1] When the Swans relocated to Sydney in 1982, Franklin was appointed chairman of the match committee.[1]

When Ricky Quade was suddenly admitted to hospital with a bleeding ulcer midway through the 1984 season, Franklin filled in as senior coach for Sydney's round 14 game against Collingwood, which they lost by 31 points.[2] He later served as their Chairman of Selectors.

References

• Tony Franklin's playing statistics from AFL Tables
• Tony Franklin's coaching record at AFL Tables
• Holmesby, Russell and Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers. 7th ed. Melbourne: Bas Publishing.

Main, Jim. "Swan Songs – with Tony Franklin". sydneyswans.com.au. Retrieved 1 November 2012.

Sydney Morning Herald, ‘Quade’s illness leaves Swans in a quandary’, 2 July 1984, p. 30