AFL 2024: Francis Evans on Cats reunion at Power, puts hand up to take Sam Powell-Pepper’s spot

A Port Adelaide small forward has put his hand up to fill the absence of Sam Powell-Pepper following his four-game ban. Plus more on the Geelong reunion at Alberton.

Will Ken Hinkley pick Francis Evans in round 1? Picture: Getty Images

It was a memorable run for Francis Evans and Esava Ratugolea, not just because their destination was the Eiffel Tower.

The two former Geelong teammates had caught up in Paris during the off-season and went out for a run.

Evans was ahead and all of a sudden had to turn around and find Ratugolea.

On his phone, Ratugolea was being told that his trade from the Cats to Port Adelaide had gone through and the two were again teammates.

“I met up with him in Paris and we were on a run together one morning to the Eiffel Tower, I was a few ks ahead of him and he got the call from his manager,” Evans said.

“He was on the phone to Kenny (Ken Hinkley) and I had to run back around and re-track my steps and I saw him on the phone so that was a pretty cool moment.

“He was kind of waiting on the call all day so it was good.”

Esava Ratugolea in his new colours. Picture: Getty Images

Along with Quinton Narkle, picked up by the Power in the mid-season draft last year, it has been a Cats reunion at Alberton.

“We are all really close, they lived together in Geelong for a few years and we are all really close so it has been pretty special reuniting,” Evans said.

“We all got here in different ways, none of us expected it so it is pretty special.”

The way Evans got to the AFL is a different one.

When Geelong took him at pick No.41 in 2019 draft watchers were quickly scouring their notebooks to figure out who the Cats had picked up.

In 2019 Evans played only seven games.

Five of these came for Brunswick in Division Two of the Victorian Amateur Football Association.

The other two came at the Calder Cannons before his year ended because of a heel fracture.

But it was 21 goals in those five games for Brunswick, ­including impressing Geelong’s recruiting manager Stephen Wells in person, that convinced the Cats to take a chance on him.

“I was obviously a bit of a different story getting drafted,” he said.

“I know I’m really lucky and grateful, a lot of the boys here know each other cause they played against or with each other growing up.

“It is a bit of a different story and journey but I am grateful.”

Evans could have the chance to add to his story early on in 2024.

Evans is eyeing an availability in the Power front half. Picture: Getty Images

Sam Powell-Pepper’s four-game suspension has opened a spot in Port Adelaide’s forward line.
Evans, who played 10 games in 2023 with five of them coming as the sub, is well and truly in the mix after a strong pre-season.

“There’s a spot there and I am definitely going to try and put my hand up,” he said.

“I have done the work but there are a lot of other boys who are travelling really well, Mitch Georgiades he is back and firing and he can play that role as well.

“I’d love the chance but there are a lot of other boys who will be in the mix as well.

I think everyone kind of has a goal to slot in and play as many games as you can, hopefully I can play better this year and cement a spot in that forward line.”

Originally published as AFL 2024: Francis Evans on Cats reunion at Power, puts hand up to take Sam Powell-Pepper’s spot