Lance Franklin is exerting considerable influence on Sydneys push for an AFL premiership, even if you disregard his incredible deeds on the field.Franklin looms as a potential match-winner in the Swans preliminary final against Geelong at the MCG on Friday night.The 29-year-old, who missed the clubs straight-sets exit last September because of a mental-health condition, was among the minor premiers best players in both finals over the past fortnight.Franklin has booted 78 goals this year but his guidance has also boosted Sydney.Xavier Richards is a prime example.Richards managed two AFL games in his first three seasons at the SCG, having been starved of opportunities by a settled back six.The defender was thrown forward earlier this year in the NEAFL and hasnt looked back, playing the past eight AFL games.That run includes a strong showing in last weekends semi-final, when he booted two goals and dished off another three in a 36-point win over Adelaide.Richards says the mentorship of Franklin has been instrumental in helping him adjust to life at the other end of the ground.Buddy has been super. Hes a very intelligent footballer, he really understands the game, Richards told AAP.Hes been really good, telling me about leading patterns and some little tricks that I never knew before.Hell speak up in meetings, help during games and while were training. Hes a real leader in our forward line, weve got some young players and he really mentors a lot of us.Young guns Isaac Heeney, Tom Papley and George Hewett have expressed similar sentiments about Franklin this year.Older brother Ted, who will retire at the end of this season, has been another sounding board for Richards in his first AFL finals campaign. He just told me dont over-think it, Xavier Richards said.He reminds me Im a good athlete. Im fit, fast and have a lot of good assets and these guys (opposition defenders) arent amazing. Theyre no better than Dane Rampe or Heath Grundy, who I play on at training.Ted Richards hasnt played AFL since round 17 but was listed as an emergency last weekend.Id love to play with Ted before he retires. Itd be cool but if it doesnt happen then its not the end of the world, Xavier Richards said.The Swans forward line for Friday night is far from settled, with Gary Rohan (leg) and Kurt Tippett (broken jaw) both racing the clock as they bid to prove their fitness.Rohan and Tippett will need to train well on Wednesday to convince coach John Longmire they warrant selection in the high-stakes clash. . The Americans, skipped by John Shuster, seized the advantage in the eighth end by scoring five points for a 7-3 lead. The Czechs pulled two back in the ninth, but Shusters team of third Jeff Isaacson, second Jared Zezel and lead John Landsteiner ended with another point to secure the last Olympic berth on offer. 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Pittsburgh Pirates ace Gerrit Cole already has done that but, now, hes trying to ramp up an injury-interrupted season and regain the dominance he had last year.The two right-handers match up Friday night in the first game this season between the two in-state teams, and in a series that will feature lots and lots of promising young pitching.Saturday night, for example, its 23-year-old Phillies right-hander Aaron Nola (5-8) against a still-to-be-designated Pirates starter, whos all but certain to be 22-year-old rookie right-hander Tyler Glasnow in his second career start.Sunday, its 24-year-old Phillies second-year right-hander Vince Velasquez, whos been dominating at times while going 8-2, going against Pirates rookie right-hander Jameson Taillon (2-1), whos been excellent his last two times out while allowing only two runs in 12 innings.Combined number of major league starts for the five projected starters other than Cole, whos made 86 starts for Pittsburgh? A total of 67 starts.Cole, of course, was 19-8 last season in leading the Pirates staff during a 98-win season. But a strained right triceps recently kept him out for a month, and Cole was uneven during his return Saturday, a 6-0 loss in Washington in which he gave up four earned runs in four innings.I just didnt execute enough pitches, Cole said after the game, his third loss -- against five wins -- in his last 11 starts. If I made one quality pitch I followed it up with a subpar (pitch). The ball was elevated, especially out of the stretch. I got crushed.Pirates manager Clint Hurdle wouldnt go that far, but he wants to see Cole (5-5) get back to being the pitcher who won five of six decisions from April 21 through May 20.He needs to get back here and help us and get involved in the fight withh us, Hurdle said.ddddddddddddThe Phillies, losers of four of five after dropping a 9-3 decision to the Miami Marlins on Thursday, arent fighting for anything much during the second half of the season, but that young pitching staff is one of baseballs most gifted. And Eflin is one of the most intriguing of that group, putting up a 2.56 ERA in six starts since allowing nine runs in his major league debut against Toronto.Still, Phillies manager Pete Mackanin wanted to see more from Eflin than he did during a 5-0 loss to the New York Mets on Sunday, when the rookie gave up three runs in six innings. He also had Philadelphias only hit off Jacob deGrom.Really, I wasnt comfortable with him, Mackanin told the Philadelphia Inquirer, and not in a decidedly negative way. He needs some work on his slider. But, for a 22-year-old kid, youve got to like him. He can throw a four-seamer and a two-seamer and hes got a good change-up. He locates real well and, for 22 years old, you dont see that a lot.The fans attending the weekend series at PNC Park will see a wealth of young pitching from both sides as the Phillies become the final NL team to play in Pittsburgh this season.The Pirates are on something of a roll, winning three of four and 12 of 17 as they contend again in the NL Central.They got four RBI from last-minute lineup addition Matt Joyce -- who hit a three-run homer in the first, minutes after Starling Martes illness shoved him into the lineup -- in beating the Milwaukee Brewers 5-3 Thursday night behind left-hander Francisco Liriano (6-9), who won for only the second time since May 24.Hes having a great year, hes crushed some balls, Liriano said of Joyce, whose ninth homer was his first this season before the seventh inning. Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '