Port Adelaide news: Jason Horne-Francis on the lessons he learnt from 2023 and what 2024 could bring

Jason Horne-Francis says he’s grateful for the challenges that came in 2023, as the young Power star battled opposition fans throughout his first season at Port Adelaide.

Young Port Adelaide star Jason Horne-Francis says he couldn’t be “more grateful” for the challenges he faced in his first year at the Power and he accepts that it “will happen in footy”.

After his highly publicised move from North Melbourne to Alberton, the former No. 1 draft pick was targeted with boos by opposition clubs when the Power travelled to Melbourne – and even at the Gather Round game against the Western Bulldogs at Adelaide Oval.

The 20-year-old said he learnt a lot in his second year in the AFL and while it was challenging, Horne-Francis believed it would stand him in good stead for the rest of his career.

Horne-Francis in action during his first season at the Power. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

“I went through a lot in my first year,” he said at the Power’s Community Camp at McLaren Vale Primary School.

“Probably can’t top (that), so I feel like I’m really prepared for what is to come in the future.

“I can’t be more grateful for what I went through, which is probably silly, but it was probably good to get that exposure. I’ve learnt a lot. I learnt that footy is about 80 per cent in your head and 20 per cent on the field. Dad (Fabian) has always told me that since I was a young kid, so it was good to learn that and it will help me in years to come.

“It was definitely hard early … but I guess that is a part of footy.

“We love the fans coming to our games … it was tough early, but you do get used to it.”

Horne-Francis said he would be in a good space to deal with it again if he was targeted by fans in 2024.

“I just want to try and play the best footy I can – if that means getting booed then I don’t really mind,” he said.

“I actually spoke to Trav (Travis Boak) yesterday about accepting a lot of stuff and that is one of the things that you can accept will happen in footy.

“If I can be as prepared as I can for it, I feel like I will be all right.”

The young gun is predicted to have a breakout year, following an interrupted pre-season while he was recovering from leg surgery ahead of the 2023 campaign.

In particular, Horne-Francis’ increased running capacity has impressed at Alberton, and given him confidence about what he can do in 2024.

“(Pre-season) has been awesome, I probably wouldn’t be able to get through the sessions that we have had this year, it has been a big pre-season and it is good to get one under my belt,” he said.

“I haven’t had one (a pre-season) in under a year, so it has been a bit foreign. I can’t wait to see what we do this year.

“Last year I was definitely struggling to run some games out in the midfield and this pre-season already, I feel like I have shown myself that I can run games out in the midfield.

“We’ve had a couple of tries and I have felt really good.”

Horne-Francis with Mitch Georgiades and Tom Clurey at the Power’s Community Camp at McLaren Vale Primary School. Picture: Ben Clark

Horne-Francis was hampered by a back issue in the second half of 2023, but a trip with Boak to the United States to visit renowned human movement specialist Austin Einhorn looks to have fixed that.

“He was awesome, he (Einhorn) taught me a lot about my body,” he said.

“My running posture, maybe that was why I was getting back pain throughout the year was because of that and he helped me a lot with that.”

Horne-Francis is set for more midfield minutes, but said he was expecting to be used by Ken Hinkley at times to make an impact as a forward – saying him, Connor Rozee and Zak Butters could all “switch it up and share the load a bit”.

Hinkley last week said the success of Nick Daicos – who went at pick No. 4 in Horne-Francis’ draft in 2021 – gave the young Power star “something to beat still”.

Horne-Francis said he had been impressed with Daicos, but was just focusing on being the best player he could be.

“He is a star isn’t he? He has been awesome,” he said.

“He is definitely someone I look up to in terms of what he has been able to do in his first two years, but there is no pressure to try and get to where he is. He is an amazing player and we are both our own players and different players.”

Originally published as Port Adelaide news: Jason Horne-Francis on the lessons he learnt from 2023 and what 2024 could bring