Franklin helps Swans hand Carlton the blues

Lance Franklin has weathered an injury scare to help Sydney record a 22-point win over Carlton at the SCG, where the superstar edged closer to his most monumental AFL milestone yet.

Franklin booted three goals on Sunday, including a trademark showstopper from the cusp of the 50m arc, to help settle a pulsating and pressure-laden contest in which momentum shifted throughout.

Isaac Heeney, who was awarded the Goodes-O’Loughlin medal as best on ground, and Tom Papley also kicked three goals each as the Swans pulled ahead after three quarter-time to prevail 15.10 (100) to 11.12 (78).

Lance Franklin booted three goals in the Sydney Swans’ win over the Carlton Blues Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

“It took us until halfway through the third quarter to really find a little bit of form,” Franklin told Fox Footy.

“We’ve got a lot of avenues to goal, which is really good.”

Franklin now has 966 career goals, with expectation building that he will soon become the sixth man in VFL/AFL history to celebrate 1000 goals.

The 34-year-old grimaced while grabbing his left knee early in the final quarter, having been pinned in a tackle by opponent Liam Jones.

Franklin was slow to get to his feet but remained on the ground, continuing to draw plenty of attention from the Blues’ defenders as Sydney booted 4.4 to 1.3 in a decisive fourth term.

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Four-time Coleman medallist Franklin and Carlton’s Harry McKay, who leads the race for this season’s goal-kicking award, both loomed as potential match-winning forwards throughout a game played in intermittent drizzle.

McKay clutched a game-high four contested marks and slotted three goals, getting the better of opponent Tom McCartin.

But he will curse a day of what-ifs, near misses and five behinds, having hit the post and twice been trapped by desperate goal-saving tackles in front of a crowd of 29,882.

Franklin and Eddie Betts, the two most prolific Indigenous players in VFL/AFL history, both produced highlight-reel moments in the Marn Grook fixture that represents one of the highlights of Sir Doug Nicholls round.

Carlton captain Patrick Cripps, who required treatment for a finger injury in the second quarter, threatened to drag his team to victory.

Cripps finished with 27 possessions (18 contested), six tackles, six clearances and three goals but was unable to halt the the hosts’ bursts of dominance.

The final quarter was a prime example, as was an opening term that Carlton largely controlled.

The Blues shot out to a lead of 18 points, thanks partly to Betts’ wizardry in the pocket, but Sydney replied with four goals in eight minutes to conjure a six-point lead at quarter-time.