Jason Horne-Francis

Horne-Francis was born in South Australia and raised in Adelaide. 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,{{cite web | last=Milbank | first=Zac | title=Horne-Francis Named Torrens University SA U19 Captain | website=SANFL | date=August 18, 2021 | url=https://sanfl.com.au/league/news/horne-francis-named-torrens-university-sa-u19-captain/ | access-date=December 1, 2021}} 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.{{cite web | title=Jason Horne-Francis | website=Aussie Rules Rookie Me Central | date=November 10, 2021 | url=https://central.rookieme.com/afl/player/jason-horne-francis/ | access-date=December 1, 2021}}

Horne-Francis played 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.{{Cite web|url=https://sanfl.com.au/draft-pick/jason-horne-francis/|title=Jason Horne-Francis|website=SANFL}}{{cite web |last1=Thomas-Wilson |first1=Simeon |last2=Turner |first2=Matt |title=Hype's right: Moment SA young gun won over Modra |url=https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl/news/afl-draft-2021-south-australian-national-draft-news-and-features-jason-hornefrancis-hype-correct/news-story/d048e78f8d502b3de4675954fba82083 |website=The Advertiser |publisher=News Corp |access-date=27 March 2022 |date=22 November 2021 |quote=Along with eye-catching football talent and the Fleurieu Milk link, Modra and Horne-Francis have something else in common — both are products of Christies Beach Saints. One of Horne-Francis’s last games for the Southern Football League club, where Nigel Smart, Dean Brogan and Nikki Gore were also juniors, was an under-15 grand final in 2018.}}

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 and just the third Indigenous player to be drafted with the first selection after Des Headland (1998) and Jamarra Ugle-Hagan (2020).{{cite web | last=Gleeson | first=Michael | title=Top Dog: Jamarra Ugle-Hagan taken first in the draft | website=The Age | date=December 9, 2020 | url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/top-dog-jamarra-ugle-hagan-taken-first-in-the-draft-20201209-p56m3x.html | access-date=May 27, 2023}}{{cite news |title=AFL Players' Indigenous Map 2022 |url=https://www.aflplayers.com.au/app/uploads/2022/05/Indigenous-Player-Map-Update-2022-v5-digital.pdf |access-date=22 September 2022 |publisher=AFL Players Association |date=1 June 2022}} 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.{{cite web | last=Bruce | first=Jasper | title=No.1 draft pick admission couldn't be sweeter | website=news | date=November 25, 2021 | url=https://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/afl-draft-no1-pick-jason-hornefrancis-slept-in-north-melbourne-guernsey/news-story/f3b6e61ace5078e86a9a3ba1b916a4a0 | access-date=December 1, 2021}}[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQcaPCJV7Y0 Jason Horne Francis the morning after the draft (NAB AFL Draft, 2021)] (video), North Melbourne Football Club, November 24, 2021. Accessed December 1, 2021.

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.{{cite web|url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/723066 |title=New-look Hawks wind back the clock to start Mitchell era in style |publisher=Afl.com.au |date=2022-03-20 |accessdate=2022-03-24}} He was part of his first victory the following week in North's 15 point victory against West Coast.{{Cite web | url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/728105 | title=Six-goal Larkey stars as Roos get job done against makeshift Eagles }} In June of his first season, he was suspended by the league for two weeks for striking an opponent.{{cite web | title=Video: Horne-Francis suspended for striking | website=The Age | date=June 13, 2022 | url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/horne-francis-suspended-for-striking-20220613-p5ateu.html | access-date=June 22, 2022}}

In October 2022, Horne-Francis requested a trade to {{AFL PA}}, the second number one draft pick after Tom Boyd to request a trade after one season.{{Cite web|url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/854039|title=Power switch: Young Roos star eyes trade to Port Adelaide|website=afl.com.au}} He was traded to Port Adelaide on 10 October,{{Cite tweet |user=AFL_House|number=1579364915504373760 |date=10 October 2022 |title=Trade paperwork lodged.}} signing a six-year deal keeping him at Port Adelaide until 2028.{{cite web |title=Horne-Francis and Rioli land at Alberton in complex trade |url=https://www.portadelaidefc.com.au/news/1235906/horne-francis-and-rioli-land-at-alberton-in-complex-trade | first=Loukas | last=Founten |date=10 October 2022 |accessdate=10 October 2022|work=Port Adelaide FC}}

Growing up, Horne-Francis supported the Fremantle Dockers.{{cite web | author=The West Australian | title=South Australian potential number one draft pick Jason Horne-Francis reveals he's a Fremantle supporter | website=The West Australian | date=September 30, 2021 | url=https://thewest.com.au/sport/fremantle-dockers/south-australian-potential-number-one-draft-pick-jason-horne-francis-reveals-hes-a-fremantle-supporter-c-4112926 | access-date=December 1, 2021}} He dropped out of school in year 11 to work at the Fleurieu Milk Company; he credits this experience, as well as his stepfather's influence, with maturing him as a person.{{cite web | last=Smith | first=Matthew | title=Jason Horne-Francis is the AFL's hottest draft prospect - and he's ready to become a Kangaroo - ABC News | website=ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) | date=October 16, 2021 | url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-10-16/jason-horne-francis-afl-draft-combine-north-melbourne/100545046 | access-date=December 1, 2021}} Born Jason Horne, in 2021 he added the Francis name after his stepfather, former AFL player Fabian Francis.Twomey, Callum, [https://twitter.com/CalTwomey/status/1424991725756448772 A draft note], AFL.com.au, August 10, 2021.[https://twitter.com/7NewsAdelaide/status/1463646311811457029 Interview with 7 News Adelaide], November 24, 2021.

As an adult Horne-Francis learned that he had partial indigenous heritage through his biological father, whom he has no contact with.Thomas-Wilson, Simeon, "[https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl/teams/port-adelaide/port-adelaide-star-jason-hornefrancis-on-his-time-at-north-the-crowd-boos-lessons-learnt-and-a-new-hobby/news-story/ad23013ae6d32ee02b9b724d7e18beb9?amp Port Adelaide star Jason Horne-Francis on his time at North, the crowd boos, lessons learnt and a new hobby]", The Advertiser, March 16, 2024. This connects him to the Wardaman people in the Northern Territory.

: Statistics correct to the end of the 2024 season

{{AFL player statistics legend}}

{{AFL player statistics start with votes}}

|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"

| 2022 || {{AFL NM}} || 6

| 17 || 4 || 6 || 169 || 112 || 281 || 51 || 49 || 0.2 || 0.3 || 9.9 || 6.5 || 16.5 || 3.0 || 2.8 || 0

|-

| 2023 || {{AFL PA}} || 18

| 24 || 16 || 12 || 268 || 154 || 422 || 78 || 69 || 0.7 || 0.5 || 11.2 || 6.4 || 17.6 || 3.3 || 2.9 || 16

|- style="background-color: #EAEAEA"

| 2024 || {{AFL PA}} || 18

| 24 || 27 || 21 || 373 || 149 || 522 || 106 || 71 || 1.1 || 0.9 || 15.5 || 6.2 || 21.7 || 4.4 || 3.0 || 19

|- class=sortbottom

! colspan=3 | Career

! 65 !! 47 !! 39 !! 810 !! 415 !! 1225 !! 235 !! 189 !! 0.7 !! 0.6 !! 12.5 !! 6.4 !! 18.9 !! 3.6 !! 2.9 !! 35

|}

• Gavin Wanganeen Medal: 2023, 2024{{Cite web |date=2024-10-04 |title=Butters takes home second John Cahill Medal |url=https://www.portadelaidefc.com.au/news/1671219/butters-takes-home-second-john-cahill-medal |access-date=2024-10-11 |website=portadelaidefc.com.au |language=en}}
• The Alberton Crowd Player of the Year: 2024{{Cite web |date=8 October 2024 |title=Jason Horne-Francis wins 2024 The Alberton Crowd Player of the Year |url=https://thealbertoncrowd.weebly.com/announcements/jason-horne-francis-wins-2024-the-alberton-crowd-player-of-the-year |access-date=2024-10-11 |website=The Alberton Crowd |language=en}}

{{reflist}}

• {{Portplayer}}
• {{AFL Tables}}
• {{AustralianFootball}}

{{Port Adelaide player squad}}

{{AFL number one draft picks}}

{{2021 AFL national draft}}

{{2022 AFL Rising Star nominees}}

{{2025 Indigenous All-Stars squad}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Horne-Francis, Jason}}

Category:Living people

Category:2003 births

Category:North Melbourne Football Club players

Category:Port Adelaide Football Club players

Category:South Adelaide Football Club players

Category:Australian rules footballers from Adelaide

Category:Christies Beach Football Club players

Category:Indigenous Australian players of Australian rules football

Category:21st-century Indigenous Australian people

Category:21st-century Australian sportsmen