Hawthorn is confident of keeping Lance Franklin Hawthorn is confident of keeping Lance Franklin in the wake of losing footy manager Mark Evans to headquarters. HAWTHORN believes it will still keep free agent Lance Franklin despite losing the man whose job it was to retain him. Outgoing Hawks footy boss Mark Evans had been leading negotiations with Franklin's management before his shock exit yesterday to become the AFL's new football operations manager. Despite the curve ball, Hawthorn still hopes it can broker a deal with Franklin as early as mid-year, eager to continue dialogue with his manager, Liam Pickering. Hawthorn president Andrew Newbold said yesterday the club's contract offer to Franklin was "respectful," but the Hawks had more to offer than just cash. "I am confident (we can keep our stars) because I think we are about more than just picking up a pay cheque, and if it's one legacy I hope to leave, it's that this club is a place you want to be regardless if we are winning or losing," he said. I reckon we are developing that culture and perhaps we don't want that bloke who wants to go for the extra 50 grand. Newbold said Hawks recruiting manager Graham Wright, a Collingwood premiership player, would continue the job of haggling with Pickering. Wright is seen as one of the rising stars of list management in the AFL. The Hawks could be the biggest loser out of free agency this year given Franklin's potential departure, but Newbold has joined the chorus of opposition to compensation picks for free agency. Franklin has postponed talks until the post-season despite being offered a long-term deal believed to approach $1 million a season. "The board has been very impressed by Graham Wright's performance in the contracting area and (Evans) and Graham are very much a team and were doing the Franklin contract together," Newbold said. So I think it will be pretty seamless until we make an appointment. I don't believe (Evans' departure) will have any detrimental effect. I personally don't think the personality of the bloke doing his contract will effect Buddy's decision to stay or not. The feedback from Pickering is that we have put a pretty respectful offer to Buddy and it's not to say we won't continue dialogue with him. That dialogue will continue, but Mark Evans going to the AFL isn't going to change the landscape in that respect. Hawthorn has a group of free agents still uncontracted, including Franklin, Luke Hodge, Sam Mitchell, Xavier Ellis and Michael Osborne. Shaun Burgoyne is on a one-year deal with a trigger for a second season. Newbold said compensation should be dropped from the free agency formula. "I don't think the compensation pick is here or there, to be honest," he said. Hawthorn chief executive Stuart Fox will make a recommendation to Monday's board meeting about replacing Evans.