'No better way': Touching reason behind Buddy and Jesinta Franklin's big move ahead of baby's arrival

EXCLUSIVE -- Former AFL player Lance 'Buddy' Franklin is settling into a new family home that boasts an unusual feature: a flock of resident ducks.

The retired footy champion, 38, and his wife Jesinta, 34, recently moved onto their "dream" plot of land, a Gold Coast Hinterland acreage where they can raise their children alongside farm animals.

Franklin told nine.com.au that it's important for the couple to raise their kids on a farm because they both have such fond memories of growing up in the countryside.

"If you get the opportunity to do that, why not?" he said.

"There's no better way to grow up. if we're able to give our kids the opportunity to live on the land with animals, I think it's incredible... so that's what we're doing."

The Franklins are clearly devoted parents to Tallullah, five, and Rocky, four, but they didn't expect their family to expand in such a unique way after moving.

"The previous owner left all their ducks [on the acreage], which is the start of the animals at the moment," he laughed.

READ MORE: Queen Mary to break with tradition this Christmas

READ MORE: 'All they see is a winner': Parenting issue that worries Ryan Reynolds

READ MORE: 'No telling what Sarah will do next' after Andrew's downfall

"We've got four black swans too – the kids are absolutely loving that! It's a great way to start the morning by feeding them.

"You just see this big smile on the kids' faces, being outdoors and with the animals, it's incredible."

Amid the moving chaos, the couple are also expecting their third child in December.

"We're really excited with the third arriving in a month," he beamed.

"It's going be incredible. We haven't given the preparations much thought as it's been so busy, but we're really excited for the third one coming."

Franklin has been keeping busy recently, including taking part in eBay's live auction event on December 2 to launch the platform's new live stream shopping experience.

He hosted the event and sold AFL trading cards tied to iconic moments from his career, with each card valued at around $1,000 but starting from just 1 cent.

"One of the cards was my first year card, which was over 20 years ago now," he explained.

"It's pretty cool to see a picture that's over 20 years old. There's a lot of milestone moments throughout my career (on the trading cards), which were cool too."

Just before the auction, he joked that he needed to brush up on his live auctioneering skills before the big day.

"I think football plays a huge part in people's lives," he went on.

"If someone's able to purchase a card that is special to them, and that's who they support, whether that be the team or player, I think that's unbelievable for them!"

Franklin already has a collection of his own AFL trading cards, saying they "find their way" to him via his family and friends.

"I've collected a lot so that I can keep them and look at them with the kids when they grow up a little bit," he said.

"It's pretty cool to play 19 years, and then you see the pictures throughout those 19 years, you see the changes in your body... I think it's just interesting."

FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP HERE: Stay across all the latest in celebrity, lifestyle and opinion via our WhatsApp channel. No comments, no algorithm and nobody can see your private details.