Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin has come under criticism for his new partnership with brewery Hahn.
The former AFL star, 37, who retired last July, has signed on to be the face of Hahn’s latest campaign in a deal rumoured to be worth between $150 and $200,000.
Buddy, a mental health advocate, has been doing the publicity rounds for the new venture and even featured in a segment on Sunrise drinking a Hahn beer.
However, he has received some backlash for partnering with the alcohol brand in what has been described as an ‘out of character’ move for the sportsman.
Insiders claimed the endorsement may suggest Buddy – who was on a $10million contract with the Sydney Swans before his retirement – needs the extra income.
‘For starters, it is Dry July, so the timing is bad, secondly, it is not ”on brand” for him,’ one insider told The Daily Telegraph of the endorsement.
‘Kids and adolescent boys who look up to Buddy would have sat there watching their idol sitting with a beer in front of him on breakfast television.’
‘Buddy doesn’t usually ever do media, so this is out of character,’ another added as they described the footballer as ‘media shy’.
Lance ‘Buddy’ Franklin has come under criticism for his new partnership with brewery Hahn, after his retirement from AFL last July
However, others fans shared their delight over Buddy’s new partnership as they took to Instagram to praise him for his new career venture.
Commenting on his advertising post, one wrote: ‘Outstanding,’ while a second commented: ‘Two of my faves!’ and a third added: ‘Cheers!’
Buddy appeared on Sunrise on Thursday to discuss his retirement and promote his partnership with the brand, tucking into a Hahn beer at the end of the interview.
He previously said of his partnership to promote the brewery’s zero-carb beer: ‘It’s been epic to lace up the boots again for this partnership with Hahn, not to kick footies, but to give carbs the boot.’
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Buddy’s representatives for comment.
A lot of Buddy and his wife Jesinta’s wealth comes from their brand power, with the pair picking up a slew of lucrative sponsorships over the years.
Buddy has signed on to be the face of Hahn’s latest campaign in a deal rumoured to be worth between $150 and $200,000 in a move that has been deemed as ‘out of character’ by insiders
However, Buddy and his wife Jesinta have not be re-signed with their former mega client, vitamin brand Swisse, The Daily Telegraph reported.
And last month, Buddy and Jesinta put their luxurious Gold Coast mansion on the market, just 18 months after purchasing the property.
The power couple purchased the $8.75million Mediterranean-style property in late 2022, which is located in the upmarket suburb of Reedy Creek.
The mansion is known as Villa Casa and upon purchasing it, Budd, and Jesinta, 32, smashed the price record for a property purchased in the scenic hinterland area.
The designer seven-bedroom property sits on a 4497sq m block, boasts jaw-dropping city skyline views and exquisite Italian-styled archways.
The Franklins’ decision to sell the home followed reports that they are eyeing a move to the country, after they ditched Sydney for the Gold Coast after Buddy’s retirement.
‘We’re actually thinking of selling up and buying a farm now, so yeah, we’ll see how we go,’ Jesinta told The Morning Show.
It comes after Buddy and his wife Jesinta put their luxurious Gold Coast mansion on the market, just 18 months after purchasing the property, as they eye a move to the country
‘We just love the idea of being on land, growing our own food, having horses, a couple of Highland cows, we’d love that,’ she said.
Buddy recently reflected on how his life has changed since retiring, telling how he has been able to spend more time with Jesinta and their kids – Tullulah, four, and Rocky, three.
‘I’ve absolutely loved it, spending this time with my wife and my kids has been special,’ he shared on Sunrise this week.
When asked if he’d venture into reality TV as a new career path, Buddy replied: ‘We’re very private – not so much Jesinta – but I like to take a backseat and keep to myself, that’s the way I’ve always been.’
Buddy’s exit from the AFL was officially announced by the club in July last year after the forward told teammates of his decision.
He posted a brief message of gratitude on Instagram shortly after the news became public.
Buddy’s exit from the AFL was officially announced by the club in July last year after the forward told teammates of his decision
‘What a journey. Thanks to everyone who has been on this crazy ride with me,’ he wrote, accompanied by a love heart emoji.
Buddy, who won a premiership with the Hawks in 2008 and 2013, will go down as one of the greatest players in the history of Aussie Rules football.
He’s now ranked fourth among the all-time list of AFL and VFL goalkickers with 1066 majors from his 354 games.
His 1000th goal set off wild scenes as fans flooded the SCG during the Swans’ clash with Geelong in March last year.
Among his many achievements, he was an eight-time All Australian, led the goalkicking for seven times for Sydney and six times for Hawthorn, and won the Coleman Medal as the league’s top goalkicker on four occasions.
