After eight years in Dunedin, the Otago lock is set to wear a different blue and gold at the conclusion of the Highlanders' season. The 26-year-old announced in January he would return home to the Bay of Plenty for the Mitre 10 Cup.
Set to come off contract with the Highlanders at the end of this season, there was an element of unknown to his future. While he hoped he would be able to continue with the Highlanders, depending on what happened, he was ensuring he did not take anything for granted this year. That will be on his mind when the team travels to Auckland to take on the Blues on Saturday night.
''It definitely makes you appreciate every day, just being able to make the most of this,'' he said.
''I like Dunedin. I'm a big surfer, so I go out surfing all the time. There's some pretty awesome waves, so I'm going to miss that for sure.
''I'm going to miss Otago and the boys and the place. But It was time to head home for various reasons and I'm looking forward to the new challenge.''
Franklin had been involved in the All Blacks' set-up as injury cover last year and it was something he was keen to get another taste of. However, his focus right now remained on the Highlanders and doing what he could to help them.
''Individual performance is sort of irrelevant in a team. You always want to do whatever you can to help the team win and when the team's not winning that's not enough. So obviously you keep preparing well, keep doing the best you can and, hopefully, that will come.
''Everyone who plays footy in New Zealand, [making the All Blacks is] what they aim to do. But you don't get there by looking at it. You get there by playing well week by week and working on your game and the little things. So, hopefully, that will come; we'll see what happens.''
Now in his fourth season with the Highlanders, Franklin is emerging as a key player. His physicality in the tight, skill in the loose and reliability in the air is allowing him to influence the game in multiple ways.
With the team winless after two games, Franklin said it was important the team kept trusting its processes.
''We believe in what we're doing. We know if things had gone slightly different in the first two games we could be two and oh. Unfortunately they haven't gone that way. But we'll just keep doing what we're doing and I'm sure the results will come.''
The side had been hit with a raft of injuries, but he said it was important to not dwell on who was missing.
''You don't look at those sort of things, you just move forward. We back our whole squad and someone will step into the position and just step up, no doubt. So we back that and we believe in our game plan and believe in our squad.''
He is looking forward to playing the Blues and expects them to bring a tough challenge.
''The Blues are an awesome team and they've got a great history and some awesome players up there.
''So to put yourself up against some of the best players in the competition is motivation in itself. We just want to go up there and put in the best performance we can and, hopefully, we come away with the win.''