EXCLUSIVE: ”He’s an amazing little sport!” Buddy Franklin reveals new son Rocky has been the perfect addition to their family

AFL star Lance “Buddy” Franklin and his model wife Jesinta Franklin welcomed their second child together back in March.

And now in an exclusive interview with Now To Love, proud dad Buddy reveals his three-month-old son Rocky has slotted perfectly into the fold.

“Rocky has been an amazing little sport,” the Sydney Swans star tells us.

As for his son’s trendy moniker, Buddy reveals they almost went in a totally different direction.

“Jesinta wanted him to be named after me and my Dad, Lance Snr. but I felt it important that he have his own identity and not feel that he has to live up to any expectation or play AFL. When we found out Jes was pregnant, we started calling him Rocky and it just stuck,” the sporting great explains.

The couple also share one-year-old daughter Tullulah and with two children under two, Buddy admits their family life is “organised chaos.”

“It’s definitely very busy but I wouldn’t change a thing,” the 34-year-old explains.

As the parents navigate their new normal with two young bubs, Buddy’s mantra is simple: “We just take one day at a time. With Tullulah, we were able to keep to a pretty consistent schedule, but having two under two that’s gone out the window and we just do our best.”

“Don’t put too much pressure on yourself if things don’t go to plan. You can only do your best,” he muses of his parenting mantra.

While a daily routine may be hit and miss, one thing Buddy’s been enjoying is already having the knowledge and experience under his belt from doing it all before with Tullulah.

“After your first baby, you feel like you’ve been thrown into the deep end. Whereas, with your second, you’ll probably find you’ve already adjusted and take things more in your stride. We are definitely more relaxed [this time around],” he admits.

“Even though we’ve hit a few bumps along the road, we’ve found that having a second baby is much easier than the first… but don’t be afraid to ask for help! As they say, it takes a village to raise a family.”

With the AFL season still underway in the shadow of the latest COVID outbreak, Buddy has sadly had to remain away from his family in the AFL bubble.

“I’m separated from Jes and the kids at the moment and it’s really hard to be away… so there are lots of FaceTime calls between us but we feel incredibly lucky to have two happy and healthy kids,” he explains of the challenging set-up, which the family also had to conquer during last year’s season.

Keeping the whole family healthy, particularly during the cold winter months, is a huge priority for Buddy and the reason why he’s decided to partner with Vicks as their ambassador.

“Off the field, fatherhood is still the biggest game of my life, and keeping myself healthy so my family stays healthy is my number one priority. The Vicks’ cold and flu products have been a real help during winter and I think it’s important other families are doing what they can to stay healthy,” he says.

WATCH IN THE PLAYER BELOW: Jesinta Franklin shows off daughter Tullulah’s adorable style. Post continues after the video…

Buddy can’t speak highly enough of his wife, who he married in 2016, for looking after Tullulah and Rocky while he’s locked down in the bubble.

“Jesinta has been amazing, she’s an inspiration. There are challenging days for sure, I’m not going to lie, but she takes it all in her stride. If the washing doesn’t get done, she doesn’t stress,” the AFL player beams of his partner.

“I think the one piece of advice I’ve heard her talk about is not feeling that you have to do it all yourself, if you need help, or an hour out for yourself, ask for it.”

For Buddy, he couldn’t be more proud of watching Jesinta become a mother.

“Being able to watch Jes become a mother has been amazing. She is so loving and caring towards the kids. I couldn’t imagine going on this journey without her,” he muses.

Another important family member Buddy is in awe of is his daughter Tullulah, who he says has taken to her big sister duties like a pro – despite some initial hesitancy.

“She was a little unsure at the start, it was hard to balance her needs with Rocky’s as she was used to having Jes and I all to herself. But we can see already that she has formed a beautiful protective bond with Rocky,” the star goal kicker notes.

In February, Tullulah rung in her first birthday and her dad says it’s been a joy to watch her personality develop.

“Tullulah definitely has her own personality shining through, she’s very creative, determined and has her Mum’s good looks,” Buddy laughs.

As the Franklins settle into life as a family of four, Buddy and Jesinta have made a conscious effort to protect their children from the harsh world of social media.

“We both try to limit their presence on social media, protecting their privacy is important to Jes and I. But each to their own, we don’t judge,” he says.