Kane Cornes doesn’t think it would be a bad thing for Sydney if Lance Franklin left the club.
A Herald Sun report on Wednesday stated the 35-year-old will move to a third AFL club or retire if the Swans don’t meet his financial demands.
According to the report, Franklin is seeking a deal worth between $700,000 and $800,000 to play on in 2023.
Cornes says Sydney’s reported offer of $500,000 is a “fair” deal for the veteran forward.
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“I don’t think it’s a bad thing if Franklin leaves Sydney,” Cornes told SEN Breakfast.
“There’s no way I would be upping this offer, I think $500,000 is fair, I wouldn’t be giving him a dollar more than that.
“If he does leave, you’ve got a young key forward (Logan McDonald) who you’ve invested in and plays much better when Franklin’s not there than when he is there.
“They’ve had good success when he isn’t in the team and they’re not as one dimensional when he plays in the team. Franklin, because of who he is, naturally attracts the football.”
The Port Adelaide champion believes a rival club would be “crazy” to offer Franklin over $700,000.
“It’s not a great story for ‘Buddy’ Franklin and his team that this has been leaked to the media,” Cornes said.
“Gerard Healy called it unedifying yesterday and I would have to agree with that.
“By any measure, he’s not a $700,000 to $800,000 player and you would be crazy for another club – a third club – to pay him that sort of figure.”
Cornes doubled down on his view that Franklin is not a top 50 player in the AFL.
“It would have to be from the Franklin camp … I don’t think it’s done him any favours,” he said.
“If that was the aim of leaking this story, to try and get Sydney to increase their offer, then I think it’s going to do the opposite.
“He’s not a top 50 player in the game.
“Even if he’s a touch above average on what he’s delivering now as a 35-year-old, which is a fair effort mind you, then he’s about $400,000 or $500,000 you would think.”
Franklin’s nine-year, $10 million deal he signed to join the Swans in 2013 expires at the end of this season.