Port Adelaide are prepared to give up pick No.8 and a future first-round selection for Jason Horne-Francis, but North Melbourne are chasing a greater bounty for the former No.1 draft selection.
Horne-Francis, 19, was the first bombshell of trade week, the top pick in last year’s national draft asking to be dealt home to South Australia, in particular to the Power, where he has personal and family history.
The Power have selection No.8 in next month’s draft and a future first-round selection to offer in exchange for the robust midfielder-forward, but the Kangaroos are also looking to bring in a suitable player and are mindful that Port’s future first-rounder could be a later selection if the Power climb the ladder next year.
Jason Horne-Francis has asked to be traded after just one season at Arden St.Credit:Getty Images
North Melbourne list chief Brady Rawlings insisted on Monday he is seeking more.
“I would have thought so, yeah. We have knocked back better than that in the past,” Rawlings said, alluding to the offers the Kangaroos had received in exchange for pick No.1 last year, which they used to take Horne-Francis.
Adelaide offered what would have been three first rounders for the rights to Horne-Francis (pick one) last year – two of them early choices – with North’s second-rounder coming back to the Crows.
The Kangaroos are also after an established senior player, for Rawlings said they are keen to secure “mature” talent.
The Roos may also push for a future second-round pick to be included in the trade, to provide for the prospect of the Power improving markedly next year.
Port Adelaide football department chief Chris Davies said the club hadn’t ruled out trading players in exchange for Horne-Francis.
“But right now our preference would be to deal from a draft capital perspective … but you never say never through this period. You’ve got to keep your eyes open to all of the possibilities,” Davies said.
The Kangaroos could ask for Josh Sinn, Zak Butters, Xavier Duursma or Miles Bergman as part of a deal, although Butters alone would be closer to the value of Horne-Francis.
Horne-Francis is contracted to the Kangaroos next season, with Rawlings declaring he is welcome to return should a deal not eventuate.
In addition to Adelaide’s offer – which would have sent two top-six picks to North – Richmond also offered a major deal for the rights to pick one. The Crows’ top selections this year are picks five and 23, the first of which is slated to go to the Gold Coast Suns for Izak Rankine.
Horne-Francis met with the Power and Crows last week. Crows list chief Justin Reid said on Monday his club was interested in Horne-Francis, but the priority was Rankine.
Horne-Francis’s stepfather is former Port Adelaide player Fabian Francis.
Jason Horne-Francis wants to be back among his family in Adelaide for season 2023.Credit:AFL Photos
“It was disappointing when the request came through, no doubt. We have invested a lot into this player. Pick one last year, we knocked back obviously a lot of currency to take him with pick one, so we really hoped he wanted to serve out his career with North Melbourne,” Rawlings said.
“It’s not to be. He has requested to go back to South Australia. I think the pull home is really strong. He has got different family situations and I think the pull home for Jason has been too strong.”
Horne-Francis played 17 games in his rookie season, but was controversially dropped ahead of a late-season game against the Crows in Adelaide, while his commitment was also questioned, particularly when he flew home to Adelaide for Mother’s Day after the round-eight loss to Fremantle in Perth, having initially flown home to Melbourne with his teammates.
Horne-Francis’ decision caps a tumultuous season for the Kangaroos. Coach David Noble was sacked, they finished at the bottom again, and cannot say if and when new coach Alastair Clarkson will begin at Arden St given the expected delay from an imminent investigation into allegations of mistreatment of First Nations players, as alleged by players and their then partners in Hawthorn’s cultural safety review.
Noble, speaking on AFL Trade Radio, said the Kangaroos had done all they could to retain Horne-Francis.
“We actually spoke to the family about moving here and whether there was an option to continue to support [him]. But there were no alarm bells in regards to him departing or asking for a trade.”
Rawlings said he did not know if Clarkson’s uncertain future with the club had played a role in Horne-Francis’ decision. Clarkson has delayed his start at North Melbourne, originally slated for November 1.
“We certainly haven’t heard that through his management, but it’s probably not a question for me,” Rawlings said.
Clarkson has strongly denied any wrongdoing and vowed to defend himself in an independent investigation that is being set up by the AFL.
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