Their partnership yielded two premierships, while they also seemed to outdo each on a weekly basis with their endless array of top-shelf tricks.

 

As we all know, Franklin then decided to take his talents to Sydney.

 

And that is where a new teammate plans on joining forces with the superstar key forward and matching, if not surpassing, those heights reached by 'Buddy’ and Cyril.

 

Now in his fifth season, Lewis Jetta has his own outstanding highlights reel, particularly from his 45-goal season in 2012 that was critical to the Swans' flag that year.

 

His gallop down the MCG wing with Rioli chasing in vain is one of the enduring images of that year's classic Grand Final.

 

Jetta also formed a lethal combination with Adam Goodes, the two-time Brownlow medallist, contributing 37 goals to the cause that year.

 

With Franklin now in red and white, Jetta was asked if they had the potential to develop a similar understanding to what Buddy enjoyed with Rioli for all those years.

 

"Hopefully – if not even better," was Jetta’s confident reply.

 

"I think that's what me and Goodesy had at the start (since Jetta joined the Swans in 2010).

 

"And if I can have it with Goodesy and Buddy, well … that's scary."

 

Considered unfortunate to miss All Australian selection in 2012, Jetta then suffered through a torrid 2013, with form and injury worries limiting him to just 10 goals in 13 appearances.

 

There have been some promising signs early this season, however, with the 24-year-old averaging 18 possessions and nearly five marks through three games.

 

He has only kicked the two goals, stating he wants to get back to around the three goals a game he produced two years ago, but feels his best form is "just around the corner".

 

His next challenge is against North Melbourne on Sunday, a day when Franklin will make his first appearance at the SCG as a Swan.

 

Franklin kicked 15 goals in five games at the ground with Hawthorn and has also managed 18 goals in his past three fixtures against the Kangaroos.

 

That tally includes his famous 13-goal game against North in round 10, 2012, a day when Jetta was one of the massive group of stunned onlookers.

 

"I turned the channel on and saw he had six or seven, so I watched the rest of the game," Jetta said.

 

"He's just a freak. He had a slow start (this year), but that's only natural, same as 'Tippo' (Kurt Tippett) when he first came here.

 

"It takes a little while to get used to our playing style and I think he's getting hold of it."

 

Paul Roos, Jetta's first coach, always said the West Australian had an innate ability to stay just one metre ahead of his opponent while running.

 

It is hard to remember the speedster ever being chased down – that is, until the Swans' trip to Adelaide last weekend.

 

In the second term, Luke Parker found Jarrad McVeigh with a handball and the co-captain then put Jetta into some open space.

 

He took two bounces and looked well on his way to another one of those highlights that invariably ends with him either finishing off a goal or finding a teammate in the forward line.

 

This time, however, young Crow Brodie Smith gave chase and managed to close the gap, with Jetta losing his feet before being caught holding the ball.

 

It didn't go unnoticed by Jetta's family, who have given him plenty of stick about it since, although the Swan isn't quite prepared to give Smith all the credit.

 

"If you watch closely, I tried to change angles and I slipped," Jetta said. "A lot of people have different opinions on it. I reckon I slipped.

 

"My family said the coyote finally caught the roadrunner.

 

"It rarely happens, but the coaches say keep running, if you get tackled, you get tackled, they just want me to take the ball and keep running."

 

Jetta has also managed to take some positives out of the challenges he faced last season.

 

"I didn't realise what it was like getting injured and being down in the 'dungeon' riding a bike," he said of the Swans' gym under the SCG.

 

"Now I realise every opportunity I have to get on the training track, I just train as hard as I can and enjoy it.

 

"That's what I'm doing and that's what I'm getting the other boys to do as well."

 

Twitter: @AFL_JD