Jason Horne-Francis

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Jason Horne-Francis
Personal information
Full name Jason Horne-Francis
Date of birth (2003-06-21) 21 June 2003 (age 18)
Place of birth South Australia
Original team(s) South Adelaide Football Club (SANFL)
Draft No. 1, 2021 AFL draft
Height 185 cm (6 ft 1 in)
Weight 81 kg (179 lb)
Position(s) Midfielder
Club information
Current club North Melbourne
Number 6

Jason Horne-Francis (né Horne; born 21 June 2003) is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the North Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League. He was selected by North Melbourne as the number one pick in the 2021 AFL draft, after playing senior-level football for the South Adelaide Football Club in the South Australian National Football League and the Christies Beach Football Club in the Southern Football League.[1]

Football career[]

Horne-Francis was known as a rising star since junior football. Growing up, he supported the Fremantle Dockers.[2] 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,[3] 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.[4]

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.[5] 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, and Horne-Francis wanted to carve his own path.[5][6]

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.[7]

Personal life[]

Horne-Francis dropped out of school in year 11 to work at the Fleurieu Milk Company,[3] his father's milk bottle factory.[8] He credits this experience, as well as his stepfather's influence, with maturing him as a person.[9] Born Jason Horne, in 2021 he added the Francis name after his step father, former AFL player Fabian Francis.[10][11][3] Horne-Francis' mother is Trish Francis, formerly Gully.

References[]

  1. ^ SANFL profile
  2. ^ The West Australian (30 September 2021). "South Australian potential number one draft pick Jason Horne-Francis reveals he's a Fremantle supporter". The West Australian. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  3. ^ a b c Milbank, Zac (18 August 2021). "Horne-Francis Named Torrens University SA U19 Captain". SANFL. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  4. ^ "Jason Horne-Francis". Aussie Rules Rookie Me Central. 10 November 2021. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  5. ^ a b Bruce, Jasper (25 November 2021). "No.1 draft pick admission couldn't be sweeter". news. Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  6. ^ Jason Horne Francis the morning after the draft (NAB AFL Draft, 2021) (video), North Melbourne Football Club, November 24, 2021. Accessed December 1, 2021.
  7. ^ https://www.afl.com.au/news/723066
  8. ^ Roos introduce new recruits (November 29, 2021) (video), North Melbourne Football Club, November 29, 2021. Accessed December 1, 2021.
  9. ^ Smith, Matthew (16 October 2021). "Jason Horne-Francis is the AFL's hottest draft prospect - and he's ready to become a Kangaroo - ABC News". ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  10. ^ Twomey, Callum, A draft note, AFL.com.au, August 10, 2021.
  11. ^ Interview with 7 News Adelaide, November 24, 2021.
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