ADELAIDE star Eddie Betts has launched a tongue-in-cheek plea for Sydney superstar Lance Franklin to play for his Deadly side in next month's AFLX tournament.
Franklin is back running after groin surgery in November, but is very unlikely to make himself available for the pre-season competition.
Betts is having a tough time whittling down his list before he has to make his all-important selections at the AFLX Draft on February 6.
AFLX DRAFT Date and broadcast details revealed
"I wish he was [playing]. Buddy, if you're out there, please come and play, I need you," Betts said.
"I don't think we have a tall forward.
"Our small forwards, the list is that long, but Buddy, if you're listening, please come and play for me."
The abundance of small forwards available is leaving Betts with some tough decisions to make ahead of the draft.
"I've got a midfield – that the list is (small), I've got backs – the list is (small), but my small forwards is (a huge list), so I've got to pick some small forwards that can play in the middle or down back or maybe in the ruck, so we'll see how we go," Betts said.
"I'm still indecisive on who I'm going to pick.
"There's a lot of great talent out there, I never thought it'd be this hard.
"You look at all the Aboriginal players in the League, they're so skillful and so talented.
"I've just got to pick the right players.
"It's such a quick game as well, you've got to be up, back, up, back, so hopefully they've got some big tanks that they can run out the game."
'A GREAT HONOUR' Vice-captains revealed
Betts was thrilled to have Hawthorn veteran Shaun Burgoyne as his vice-captain.
"It's interesting because I've always thought that Silk should've been captain," Betts said.
"They're trying to say he's my sidekick, but I'm his sidekick.
"He's an unbelievable player and I'll just go out there and let him do his thing."
Betts said he was a huge fan of the revamped AFLX format that pitted an all-Indigenous side against the best the AFL had to offer.
Geelong's Patrick Dangerfield will captain the Bolts, Fremantle's Nat Fyfe leads the Flyers and Richmond's Jack Riewoldt is in charge of Rampage.
"I've always had a dream about putting an Indigenous side together and playing against the best players in the AFL," he said.
"This is kind of the same, but not as big, it's a mini-version of it. It's like a dream come true.
"If you asked anyone, if you wanted to play a game early on in the pre-season against the best players in the AFL, you'd take that any day of the week, so I'm looking forward to it."
