Hawks superstar moves close to re-signing with current AFL side.
It is the words Hawthorn fans have been waiting to hear all season.
Lance Franklin has given his strongest indication yet he wants to remain with the team for the most important years of his career.
Franklin has been heavily linked with the Greater Western Sydney Giants for much of the AFL season, where he is reported been offered a staggering $2 million a season for five years.
Despite still stalling talk on his future until the Hawks’ 2013 premiership campaign ends, Franklin said he did not want to go anywhere, giving hope coach Alastair Clarkson might have the forward in his side for 2014 onwards.
“I don’t know where I’m at at the moment to be honest,” Franklin said.
“As I said at the start of the season, I’ll make my decision at the end of the season. My management is in talks with the football club at the moment and that’s where it stays.
“But I want to stay at Hawthorn, I love the footy club, they’ve been a great football club for me for nearly nine years. That’s where at stands at the moment.”
Hawthorn has largely gone on with business as usual during the drama and speculation if they will keep the duel-Coleman medalist.
The Hawks sit in first place ahead of last year’s premiers Sydney with just a handful of games left before the finals.
However, Franklin admitted the constant speculation about his future and his salary has made it difficult to focus on playing.
“To be honest with you, you can’t say it hasn’t been a distraction – it has been a little bit,” he said.
“But it is what it is. At the end of the day I’ve made the decision to leave my contract until the end of the season and that’s where it stands.
“For everyone, we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.
“I’m sitting comfortable with it at the moment and just looking forward to the end of the season and playing finals football and hopefully we can win it.”
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