00:07It's the return of a legend that has the town of Dowren buzzing as Lance Buddy Franklin runs
00:14out on his childhood home ground. It's been really heartwarming to see everybody come
00:19together and all the support that we've got for the footy club. Community grassroots football,
00:23it brings everyone together. It plays a massive part in country towns, in the wheat belt especially
00:28in Perth. It's the first game the eight-time All-Australian has played since retiring from
00:33the AFL in 2023. Wearing his signature 23 Guernsey he's sporting a different set of colours to help
00:41the local club raise funds. With our football teams and hockey and netball the town would just die
00:47and yeah so we've really got to promote it and make sure it stays alive and is here for our
00:52kids
00:52in the future. Franklin's appearance in the Tigers season opener was sold out.
00:58The two-time Premiership player is no stranger to a crowd. The WA-born star is one of just six
01:04players with more than a thousand goals at VFL AFL level. Some remembering a time Franklin was yet
01:11to kick his first. Yeah he just started but he seemed to pick the game up. For many of these
01:17locals growing
01:18up watching Franklin on their TV screens the chance to rub shoulders with the AFL legend on their home
01:24ground is a dream come true. The club hopes his homecoming will inspire the next generation.
01:30Yeah it means a lot. You know to the juniors that haven't seen him play some to the older people
01:35that
01:35were part of it when he was back here before. For these locals it's more than a game. It's the
01:40lifeline to their town.
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