Franklin century hype hysterical: Clarkson
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Lance Franklin... looking to reach 100 goals for the season. (Getty Images: Quinn Rooney)
Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson says the public focus on Lance Franklin kicking 100 AFL goals has become hysterical and is out of proportion with the achievement.
Franklin needs to kick two goals in the Hawks' clash with Carlton tomorrow to become the first player to kick 100 goals in the regular season since Tony Lockett in 1998.
Blues forward Brendan Fevola has an outside chance of kicking breaking the ton in the same match, but trails Franklin by six goals heading into the game at Docklands.
Clarkson says he will not let the side be distracted by Franklin's achievements.
"The sooner it gets out of the way, the sooner it becomes less of a distraction for our side, and for the wider football community," he said.
"But when it happens we're not too concerned with it and I would expect, given his average of shots on goal, that somewhere in the first half or somewhere in the third quarter, he would get an opportunity to kick his couple of goals that he needs.
"If he only kicks one but if our team kicks 15 or 20 goals and we win the game, then we're not too fussed about that.
"It's a hysterical theme outside of our footy club, but within our footy club it's just stick to the structures of what we do well, and if we do it well enough we'll get over the line against Carlton."
