 Franklin was quiet upon his return, kicking three goals from his first two games back, before returning to form in round 12, taking nine marks and kicking five goals against West Coast at the SCG.The following match, his 299th, after kicking four goals in the first two-and-a-half quarters against Hawthorn, Franklin re-injured his left hamstring in the third quarter.He ended up missing a further nine matches with the injury before being cleared to play his 300th game in the final home-and-away round of the season against St Kilda, which would also serve as the farewell match for retiring former co-captains Jarrad McVeigh and Kieren Jack; he kicked four goals and took ten marks for the match to be among the best afield, as Sydney missed the finals for the first time with Franklin at the club.