Franklin left for the Sydney Swans and an unprecedented nine-year contract worth $10 million, just over a week after he played in the Hawks' premiership win over Fremantle.

 

The Hawks flew out of Melbourne on Thursday ahead of Friday night's clash with the Swans at ANZ Stadium, which Franklin is expected to be named for despite hurting his knee two weeks ago.

 

Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson was prepared for a flurry of Buddy questions at the airport, joking with reporters about who was going to fire the first one.

 

After questioning whether the combination of Franklin and Kurt Tippett would work straight away, he admitted the Hawks were disappointed Buddy chose to leave last year.

 

But his close friendship with Swans coach John Longmire has survived, with the two still speaking regularly including at an event in New South Wales in February.

 

Clarkson said everyone had moved on from the deal that lured Franklin north but couldn't help but question which club would be better placed halfway into his contract.

 

"These things happen in footy," Clarkson said.

 

"We didn't necessarily like the fact that Bud left our club for an opposition club but it was a pretty good deal.

 

"We move on, we've been able to find some blue sky since Bud's left and they've been able to move in their direction too.

 

"Hopefully we continue to play some good footy and we'll all be a better judge in about five years time to see whether the deal was good for Sydney or Hawthorn."

 

Clarkson will become the equal second-longest serving coach in Hawthorn's history on Friday night, equalling the 221-game record of four-time premiership coach Allan Jeans.

 

Clarkson and Jeans come in behind club legend John Kennedy, who coached 299 games.

 

Of todays' crop of coaches, Clarkson is the longest serving behind Mick Malthouse and Mark Thompson.