Tony Franklin (Australian footballer)

Tony Franklin
Personal information
Full name	Anthony Franklin
Date of birth	(1950-12-18) 18 December 1950
Original team(s)	Penguin
Height	185 cm (6 ft 1 in)
Weight	84 kg (185 lb)
Position(s)	Ruckman/Half forward
Playing career1
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.

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. When the Swans relocated to Sydney in 1982, Franklin was appointed chairman of the match committee.

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. 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