Lance Franklin has likely played his last game of football at the MCG.

With the Swans succumbing to a second half momentum shift against Richmond on Thursday night, last year's grand finalists moved to 0-3 at the home of football in 2023.

It was Franklin's 351st senior game, moving past Carlton and Adelaide champion Eddie Betts to sit outright third on the all-time list of appearances by an Indigenous player.

Now looking very unlikely to make an appearance in September, Sydney seem destined to farewell one of the game's greats without allowing him to notch up one last triumph at a ground where he has produced so many iconic moments.

In a 1060 goal career to date, 342 of those came at the 'G - the seventh most by any player at the ground.

That's despite playing the majority of his 19-season career with the Swans after crossing from Hawthorn at the end of 2013.

His most iconic goals at the ground, remembering he became the last man to kick 100 goals in a season in the final game of the 2008 home-and-away season down the road at Docklands Stadium, arguably best display the talents he possessed earlier on.

Buddy's three-bounce sprint down the MCG wing for goal with Essendon's Cale Hooker in pursuit in 2010 sits fresh in the minds of many.

In 2013 he 'hurdled' over a pile of players before finishing from 75 metres out against Collingwood in an effort still replayed a decade on.

Since moving north Franklin has progressively shifted to sticking within 50 as the Swans deep target, particularly through his 30's.

Now 36, and with a younger brigade of forwards emerging as the club's next generation in front of goals, Buddy has become a different player.

Sydney's second goal on Thursday came after Franklin handed off the ball to Ollie Florent from 20 out and dead in front before laying out the only Richmond defender in between them.

Previous years might have seen him have a ping himself.

His first goal of two in the contest came from plotting himself behind the Tigers' last defensive line five metres out.

In the second half, Franklin sailed high for three contested marks overhead as the game hung in the balance - and as rain poured down.

It fell short of drawing a win out of the contest, but served as a little flashback to earlier years.

At the end of 2022, Franklin signed on for a one-year contract extension.

2023 is all but confirmed to be his last year in the AFL.

The Swans sit in 14th place, a game and a half out of the eight and with eight games remaining in the round.

The club will not return to the MCG this home-and-away season.