The 28-year-old has moved from the All Blacks squad to Highlanders' reserve bench and it is not a trajectory he wants to continue on.
Last season he was called into the national squad as injury cover for the first test against France.
When robust loose forward Liam Squire was injured in the second test, Franklin looked poised to get a run on the blindside flank. But fellow Highlander Jackson Hemopo got the opportunity instead.
This year Franklin has had to watch a lot of rugby from the sideline. After he returned from a full season in Japan, the Highlanders thought it prudent to stand him down for a period to allow his body to rest.
Then with the likes of Josh Dickson and Pari Pari Parkinson going well, Franklin had to wait a little longer.
He will have just his second start this season when the Highlanders host the Hurricanes at Forsyth Barr Stadium tonight.
"It is a massive game," he said.
"I like to approach every game like that - like I've got something to prove and I've got to play well. That's my mindset going into it."
Franklin was uneasy about the idea of a break upon returning from Japan. But he is now feeling the benefits of that decision.
"I wasn't really too keen but it is probably showing the effects now. It does help - just mentally more than anything - just to switch off and have a little bit of a break and come back firing again."
But he was "itching" to return and made his first start in the 33-26 loss to the Blues last month.
"You want to do everything you can to get out on the field. The only way to do that is to show up on Monday and give it your best and hope for selection.
"I feel like I'm slowly starting to grind my way back in. Hopefully a couple of good performances and I can lock it in. We'll see how we go."
Franklin said the coaching staff had been transparent and he understood the reasoning behind selection decisions.
"We're all here for one purpose and that is to win the championship. You've got to buy in. If you don't, you become a hindrance to everybody else."