He spent nearly two decades as one of the most recognisable faces in Australian sport, drawing packed crowds wherever he went and creating some of the most memorable moments in AFL history.
But these days Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin is more likely to be found changing nappies, feeding animals or helping his children make breakfast than kicking goals in front of 80,000 fans.
The AFL great has opened up about his dramatically different life since retirement, revealing he has happily swapped football’s relentless spotlight for life on a rural property in southeast Queensland with wife Jesinta and their three children.
Franklin retired in 2023 after one of the most decorated careers the game has seen, finishing with 354 AFL games, 1066 goals, four Coleman Medals, eight All-Australian selections and premierships with Hawthorn in 2008 and 2013.
Yet despite the success, the 39-year-old says he has found something even more rewarding since walking away from the game.
‘I loved playing football, I’ll never say I didn’t,’ Franklin told News Corp.
Buddy Franklin has traded packed stadiums for paddocks and family life in the Gold Coast hinterland
Buddy and Jesinta Franklin moved their young family to acreage in southeast Queensland
The former Sydney Swans star now spends much of his time with children Tallulah, Rocky and Bam
‘But this … this is better for me.’
The Franklins have settled on acreage near the Coomera River in the Gold Coast hinterland, where they are preparing to build a new family home after leaving Sydney behind.
The move represented a return to the kind of upbringing both Buddy and Jesinta experienced as children.
Franklin grew up in the small Wheatbelt town of Dowerin in Western Australia, while Jesinta spent her childhood in the Gold Coast hinterland community of Clagiraba.
Together they wanted to give their children a similar lifestyle, one built around open space, animals and independence.
Last month, Jesinta revealed the couple had deliberately chosen a farm lifestyle for Tallulah, Rocky and baby Bam because they believed it offered the best environment for young children.
‘There’s no better way to grow up,’ Franklin previously said.
The youngest member of the family, Bam, arrived in December last year and was named after Miami Heat NBA star Bam Adebayo after Buddy heard the name while watching basketball during Jesinta’s pregnancy.
The couple want their children to enjoy the same country upbringing they experienced
The former Hawthorn champion has taken up running, beekeeping and farm life after retirement
Away from football, Franklin has embraced his new role as a full-time father.
After retiring, Jesinta encouraged him to take a year before deciding what came next rather than rushing into media commitments or coaching roles.
The former Hawthorn and Sydney superstar agreed, and the arrangement quickly became a success.
While Jesinta focused on expanding her business interests and media commitments, Franklin took charge of many of the day-to-day parenting duties.
School drop-offs, scraped knees, finding missing gumboots and changing nappies have replaced training sessions and game-day preparation.
‘I’ve loved it,’ Franklin said.
‘Don’t get me wrong, I loved playing footy, but I’ve seen the older kids grow up spending nearly every day with them.’
The transition was not without challenges.
The former superstar is now involved with Honey for Life alongside wife Jesinta Franklin
Buddy and Jesinta wanted open space, animals and independence for their growing family
Franklin admitted retirement initially proved difficult as he adjusted to life without the routine, purpose and camaraderie that comes with professional sport.
He noted that many former players struggle after leaving the game, particularly when they have spent most of their adult lives inside elite sporting environments.
For Franklin, stepping away also meant leaving behind a level of public attention few Australian athletes have ever experienced.
The former forward was one of the AFL’s biggest drawcards throughout his career, with crowds regularly flocking to stadiums hoping to witness another piece of Buddy magic.
His 1000th career goal at the SCG in 2022 remains one of the most iconic moments in modern Australian sport, triggering a famous crowd invasion as thousands of fans flooded onto the ground.
But the constant attention could also be overwhelming.
Franklin admitted he sometimes struggled with the level of public scrutiny when he was younger, particularly when supporters approached him unexpectedly.
Life in the country has provided a very different environment.
Franklin and Jesinta welcomed their third child, Bam, in December last year
Instead of packed stadiums and media commitments, the family now spend much of their time outdoors on their property, where Franklin has developed interests in running, beekeeping and farming.
The couple have also invested in Honey for Life and have become ambassadors for health and wellness initiatives through insurer AIA.
Despite enjoying retirement, Franklin’s connection to football remains strong.
Last year he returned to his hometown of Dowerin to play in a charity football match that attracted thousands of spectators and raised more than $200,000 for local sporting facilities.
The reception served as a reminder that while Buddy Franklin may have left the AFL, his standing in the game remains enormous.
Yet the man who once carried the expectations of clubs, supporters and entire states appears content with a much simpler role these days.
For one of the greatest forwards football has ever produced, life as a stay-at-home dad has proven to be every bit as rewarding as life as an AFL superstar.
