HOW DO you stop a red-hot Lance Franklin?

“Not with your hands!” Craig Bolton says.

The Sydney Swans defender deflected thequestion with the experience and poise of a seasoned stand-up comedian beforethe Swans’ Tuesday training session.

But the contentious issue of thehands-in-the-back rule has been no laughing matter in recent days – especiallyin the harbour city.

Swans coach Paul Roos has said this week hewould welcome the rule’s abolishment, feeling star forward Barry Hall has beenon the wrong end of some rough decisions of late.

Bolton said defenders had also found it difficult getting used to the newinterpretation of the rule, although he thinks it’s here to stay.

“It’s made it hard I guess, for defenders,”Bolton said.

“We’ve got to adjust a little bit, as dothe forwards … but it’s something that, you know we have to adjust to, we’vegot no choice about that.

“I don’t think it’s confusing. It has beenhard to adjust to and hard to adapt to.

In certain situations it’s a naturalreaction to put your hands there, having played like that your whole life.”

Bolton said the rule appeared to make life far more difficult for theplayer caught behind in a marking contest – and that player was invariably thedefender.

“I think you’ve probably got to be a bitmore willing to play in front,” he said.

“It probably does reward the person who’sin front and makes it a little bit easier from that perspective.

“As a defender, generally you are caughtbehind a lot so, that’s just the way of the game and it does make it harder toget an effective spoil or get a hand in there.”

Bolton will try to continue his outstanding season when the Swans meetHawthorn at the MCG on Saturday.

The ultra-consistent backman is certain toagain be assigned a big job curbing one of the Hawks’ talented young forwards.

“From a defensive point of view, theirforwards are playing really good,” he said.

“Tim Boyle and Franklin are obviouslyplaying some really good footy down there, so it’s going to be another bigchallenge this week.

“I think it’s one we’re looking forward to,to go back to the MCG and play a side that’s in really good form and it’ssomething we need and it’s going to be a really good test for us.”