Lance Franklin is getting serious after some Brownlow night banter
SYDNEY Swans superstar Lance Franklin has had some text banter with his former Hawthorn teammates and is tipping a hostile environment in Saturday's Grand Final.
He was part of the Hawthorn team that lost to the Swans in the 2012 decider.
Asked if there had been any banter with his ex-Hawks teammates in Grand Final week, Franklin said "a little bit last night on the Brownlow".
"They shot me a few text messages, but a lot of the boys have kept pretty quiet and just getting prepared for a big game," he said.
He thought good friend Josh Gibson could again get the job on him after marking him earlier this season.
Franklin said playing Hawthorn twice already this year was a positive for him.
"They've been a quality outfit all season and played some really good football," Franklin said of Hawthorn.
"It's worked out that we play Hawthorn, my old club. In saying that once we cross the line it's just another game.
"No doubt there's going to be nerves going into the game. Most players going out onto the field will be nervous, I think excited at the same time too, just to go get that opportunity to play in the big one.
"I can't wait to get out there and hopefully play a good game and the team gets a good win."
Franklin has been booed in Melbourne this season and doesn't anticipate a friendly atmosphere for the team this Saturday.
"It's going to be a hostile environment, something that a lot of these (Sydney Swans) boys have experienced already in 2012," Franklin said.
"There's a lot of experience in the change rooms that has been done there and done it, so we've got full confidence in ourselves that we can get the job done.”
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