Franklin (26) brought up his 50th game for Otago in last weekend's semifinal against his home province, Bay of Plenty, at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
Franklin said the time in the Otago jersey had gone quickly and was a complete surprise.
''I just came down here to be a student and play a bit of rugby. Play some colts and then maybe get into Otago,'' he said.
''That first game [in 2010] I came off the bench against Counties-Manukau at Carisbrook.
''I remember making a tackle and the guy knocked it on and Ben Smith picked it up and ran 100m to score a try.
''I claimed that as my first try assist. I felt I was way out of my depth. Felt blown away by it all really.''
Since then, Franklin has established himself as a key man in the Otago pack and has also become a major player for the Highlanders.
His stocks have risen so far he was called into the All Blacks as injury cover mid-season although he missed out on the touring squad named on Sunday.
He puts his progress down to giving his all and people backing him.
''Every opportunity I have had I have worked really hard at it and made the most of it.
''The massive one for me is the people who have believed in me. Tony Brown and Jamie Joseph and others.''
The lock said the silver lining in missing the All Black squad was his selection in the Maori All Blacks yesterday.
''Obviously, it is disappointing to not make the [All Black] team but it just gives you motivation to work harder.''
The Opotiki-raised Franklin did not hear from the All Black selectors explaining his exclusion but had plenty on his mind over the past couple of weeks, including a possible broken leg.
But he only missed a week and was back on the paddock for the semifinal.
''Initially, they said it was a small hairline fracture in the lower leg so we treated it as such and it healed quite quickly. In the second week they said just treat it as a bone bruise rather than a fracture.
''When you play you can't feel it. You are just jacked up on adrenaline.''
Franklin is making a few hits round the field - including a late one last Friday which sent him to sin bin for 10 minutes.
His aim is to get heavier - up another 4kg-5kg from his current playing weight of 112kg - but that was hard to do when playing all the time.
As for this week's final, Franklin said the task was to look within.
''The last few weeks we have just put it on us - just getting our things right and hit the ground humming. If we can come out of the blocks and bring that intensity, physicality and just be clinical we should be hard to beat.''
