The popular perception is that Franklin, who is lining up for his 200th game this week, is a safer proposition in front of the big sticks this year, but the stats say otherwise.

Franklin's pronounced natural arc might be a thing of the past but, depending on which set of figures you believe, not so his goalkicking kinks, despite spending more time practising the skill this year than at any other point in his career.

The bookies' favourite to win a Coleman Medal this year, Franklin has adopted a straighter approach when kicking for goal but that has not translated to the scoreboard.

Stats from Champion Data show that Franklin's accuracy rate has fallen  from 61.9 per cent last year to 57.8 this season. That is below the competition average of 58.3.

This season, Franklin's 10th, does not even rank among his top five for accuracy. Furthermore, his set shot accuracy has also dropped this year, down from 64.7 per cent in 2013 to 61.1.

Franklin, however, says he has definitely worked a lot harder this season on his goalkicking technique, doing extras with former sharpshooter Nick Davis and Ben Moore from the Swans Academy.

If practise makes perfect, as the adage goes, how then to explain the anomalies in Franklin's numbers?

Could it be Franklin is having more shots in more difficult areas of the ground?

Only 53 per cent of Franklin's goals this year have come in what is termed the corridor, rather than the pockets, where the angles are more acute. This figure places him last of the top 22 leading goal-scorers this year.

It is also down considerably from 70 per cent last year and 62 in 2012, which was his most trying season in front of goal.

Then there are the distances from which Franklin is taking his shots. Franklin has already taken 20 shots from outside 50 this year compared, to 18 for his entire 2013 campaign.

And while he has wowed fans with several long bombs, his accuracy beyond the arc is only 45 per cent this year. Take these shots out from his numbers in 2013 and 2014, and his accuracy of 61.4 per cent compares favourably to last year's 60.75.

He has also improved his output in the distance ranges 15-30 metres, 31-40 and 41-50.

Franklin, however, admits his kicking has let him down at stages this season, particularly against his old club Hawthorn, against whom he booted 2.7 and 3.5 in their two meetings.

''In big games I've got to be able to kick the goals, and against Hawthorn I wasn't able to do that, which I was a bit disappointed in. That's one areas I've got to keep working on,'' he said.

One area of his game where Franklin has noted marked improvement in is his tackling, which he attributes to improved fitness.

With 57 tackles, he is on track to beat his previous season best of 73 in 2011.

''My workrate around the ball, my second and third efforts, have probably improved a little bit since I left Hawthorn,'' Franklin said.

''The first five or six weeks I wasn't able to get out there and train ... but now that I've been able to get out there and train and be out there amongst the boys, it has been really good for me to get the fitness that I need.''

Although the 200-game milestone usually falls towards the end of a player's career, for Franklin it has come at about the halfway mark, given he is in the first year of a nine-year contract.

Franklin counts his two flags, and not his swag of individual accolades, as his greatest achievements.

''That's what you play football for, to win premierships. I was fortunate enough to win two premierships at a great club in Hawthorn and fortunate enough to play with some unbelievable players and see them grow,'' Franklin said.

''Now I find myself at a new club and looking to do the same here.''