Jason Horne-Francis (né Horne; born 21 June 2003) is a professional
Australian rules footballer currently playing for the
Port Adelaide Football Club
Port Adelaide Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Alberton, South Australia, Alberton, South Australia. The club's senior men's team plays in the Australian Football League (AFL), where they are nicknamed ...
in the
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League (AFL) is the only fully professional competition of Australian rules football. Through the AFL Commission, the AFL also serves as the sport's governing body and is responsible for controlling the laws of the gam ...
, having been initially selected by the
North Melbourne Football Club
The North Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed the Kangaroos, is a professional Australian rules football club. The men's team competes in the Australian Football League (AFL), and the women's team in the AFL Women's (AFLW). The Kangaroos also ...
as the
number one pick in the
2021 AFL draft
The 2021 AFL draft comprised the various periods where the 18 clubs in the Australian Football League (AFL) can trade and recruit players during and following the completion of the 2021 AFL season.
The National Draft returned to being a two day ...
. As a junior, Horne-Francis played senior-level football for the
South Adelaide Football Club
The South Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club that competes in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL). Known as the ''Panthers'', their home ground is Flinders University Stadium[South Australian National Football League
The South Australian National Football League, or SANFL ( or ''S-A-N-F-L''), is an Australian rules football league based in the Australian state of South Australia. It is also the state's governing body for the sport.
Originally formed as the ...]
and the
Christies Beach Football Club
The Christies Beach Football Club is an Australian rules football team based in the outer southern suburbs of Adelaide that first fielded junior teams in the Southern Football League in 1964. In 1966 senior teams were formed and almost instant s ...
in the
Southern Football League
The Southern League is a men's football competition featuring semi-professional clubs from the South and Midlands of England. Together with the Isthmian League and the Northern Premier League it forms levels seven and eight of the English fo ...
.
Football career
Horne-Francis was known as a rising star since junior football. Growing up, he supported the
Fremantle Dockers
The Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed the Dockers, is a professional Australian rules football club competing in the Australian Football League (AFL), the sport's elite competition. The team was founded in 1994 to represent the port city of Fr ...
.
He was named the Most Valuable Player for South Australia when he captained the under-16 state team. He was also captain of the South Australian under-19 team,
during which he was named in the competition's All-Australian team. He commenced playing senior-level SANFL at the age of 17, and was named best on ground in the 2021 preliminary final.
In late 2021, Horne-Francis was the first South Australian since
Bryce Gibbs (2006) to be chosen as the first pick in the
national draft
The Australian Football League draft is the annual draft of unsigned players, especially new nominations, by Australian rules football teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League (AFL).
History
W ...
.
Upon joining the Kangaroos, Horne-Francis had the choice of numbers 6 and 18 for his jumper, and chose 6 because the number 18 was closely associated with club legend
Wayne Carey
Wayne Francis Carey (born 27 May 1971) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with the North Melbourne Football Club and Adelaide Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).
A dual-premiership captain at North Melbou ...
, and Horne-Francis wanted to carve his own path.
Horne-Francis played his first game in the AFL in the opening round of the 2022 season, having 13 disposals and kicking one goal on North Melbourne’s narrow defeat to Hawthorn. He was part of his first victory the following week in North’s 15 point victory against West Coast. In June of his first season, he was suspended by the league for two weeks for striking an opponent.
In October 2022, Horne-Francis requested a trade to , the second number one draft pick after
Tom Boyd to request a trade after one season. He was traded to Port Adelaide on 10 October, signing a six-year deal keeping him at Port Adelaide until 2028.
Personal life
Horne-Francis dropped out of school in year 11 to work at the Fleurieu Milk Company,
his father's milk bottle factory. He credits this experience, as well as his stepfather's influence, with maturing him as a person.
Born Jason Horne, in 2021 he added the Francis name after his stepfather, former AFL player
Fabian Francis.
Interview with 7 News Adelaide
November 24, 2021.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Horne-Francis, Jason
Living people
2003 births
North Melbourne Football Club players
South Adelaide Football Club players
Australian rules footballers from Adelaide
Christies Beach Football Club players