Jason Horne-Francis demand leaves Kangaroos facing AFL nightmare
To describe 2022 as an annus horribilis for North Melbourne would be an understatement, and the Kangaroos have taken another hit with prized No.1 draft pick Jason Horne-Francis demanding a trade.
The Kangaroos endured a tumultuous season, sacking head coach David Noble mid-season and winning the wooden spoon with just two victories for the year.
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Horne-Francis's rookie season was a difficult one, with the 19-year-old left disgruntled after being dropped before playing what would have been his first AFL game in front of friends and family in South Australia.
An already dicey situation was made worse with the news the recently hired Alastair Clarkson won't be starting as Kangaroos coach until the AFL's investigation into allegations recently surfaced against former Hawthorn coaching staff is completed.
The arrival of Clarkson had been lauded as a potential turning point for the club, but it now remains to be seen whether the four-time premiership coach will be in charge in 2023.
Horne-Francis' request is yet another blow for a club that has endured its fair share of bad news in 2022, with the midfielder seeking a move either to the Adelaide Crows or Port Adelaide.
There's no guarantee such a move will eventuate, with the Crows already focused on building a package to trade for Gold Coast Suns star Izak Rankine, and Port Adelaide likely needing to offer a significant offer to pry Horne-Francis from Arden St.
Horne-Francis averaged 16.5 disposals and 3.5 clearances during his debut season, in which he notched 17 games.
But his time at the Kangaroos was mired by speculation over his future, and he was dropped for one game for reportedly refusing to complete a full ice bath recovery.
He was also asked for a please explain when he didn't inform the club that he had flown back to South Australia for Mother's Day.
North Melbourne say they will consider their options following Horne- Francis' trade request.
"Jason is contracted for next year, we've invested significantly in him as our first-ever No.1 pick just 12 months ago and we view him as a key part of the club's plans going forward, Kangaroos list manager Brady Rawlings said.
"We appreciate Jason's circumstances but at the same time we're determined to look after the best interests of North Melbourne."
Q: Will it take more than pick No.8 and a future first-round pick for Jason Horne-Francis?
Brady Rawlings: I would’ve thought so. We’ve knocked back better than that in the past. So I can’t see why we’d take that as an option right now. @FOXFOOTY— David Zita (@DavidZita1) October 3, 2022
Nothing wrong with Horne-Francis wanting to be near his family to continue AFL career, his wellness should come first.
At the same time, North fans have every right to be upset after effectively wasting no. 1 pick on him.
Dont complicate this, two things can be true at once.— Ben Smith (@BenSmith94) October 2, 2022
Horne-Francis 1yr in. Rankine 2. Bruhn 2. Henry 2.
More young players chasing trades sooner than before. Each of the players telling their club which one club they want to be traded to, not which state.
They’re telling AFL you can draft me where you want, doesn’t mean I’ll stay.— Michael Gleeson (@mickgleeson) October 2, 2022
"I think it has been live throughout the year. He put off talks for a contract extension, which is not unusual, but it did light a fuse around his future and there has always been a pull back to SA." @CalTwomey on how long the Horne-Francis interest has been there.
— AFL Trade Radio (@traderadio) October 3, 2022
North have every right to ask for anything they want for Horne-Francis.
Kids a star in the making, 19yo and under contract. #AFLTradeRadio #AFLtrade— Jim Loton (@jim_loton) October 3, 2022
Jason Horne-Francis request leaves AFL observers in shock
Opinions have been somewhat divided over Horne-Francis' demand to leave the Kangaroos after just one season.
Former Port Adelaide star Kane Cornes said he could understand both Horne-Francis' desire to move on from North Melbourne, but also the club's frustration with his demand.
Cornes told AFL Trade Radio on Monday morning that the Kangaroos were right to be annoyed that a prized top draft pick wasn't guaranteed to stay at the club for consecutive seasons, but the shambolic state of affairs at the club was hardly attactive.
“We can debate about the rules around should first-round draft picks have to sign a mandatory three or four-year contract – which I believe they should – and I don’t think it’s fair on North Melbourne that a player after one year, especially one like him, can request a trade,” he said.
“But put yourself on Horne-Francis’ shoes. They’ve got no CEO, no recruiters, their list is an absolute mess and now the current uncertainty around the coach. And he wants to win, he reminds me a little bit of Nathan Buckley with his competitiveness.
“You can certainly understand and have some sympathy for his situation, albeit understanding it’s a brutal position for North Melbourne to be in.
“I can’t remember a worse period of time for a club than what North Melbourne is going through now. With the Clarkson situation and Horne-Francis now as well.”
North Melbourne rebuffed an offer of three first-round picks from Port Adelaide prior to the 2021 AFL Draft, with the Power reportedly keen to recruit the SANFL product.
Instead, the Kangaroos backed themselves to turn things around with Horne-Francis key to rebuilding their list - a decision which does not look to have been worthwhile as it stands.
Horne-Francis will reportedly attract a haul of two first round picks - the eighth pick in the 2022 draft, as well as a first round selection in 2023.
Fellow AFL great Matthew Lloyd urged the Kangaroos to pull the trigger on the trade, saying they'd be better off to 'cut their losses'.
“I can’t see Jason playing good football with North Melbourne next year with the way we saw him play this year where you could see his heart wasn’t in it,”he told AFL Trade Radio.
“That was partly him just being Jason Horne-Francis, maybe he’s been the dominant junior and didn’t like to listen, those types of things.
“You could understand how North would look at it and say: ‘Yeah, let’s get him out now and let’s do this deal’."
With AAP
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