Port Adelaide star Jason Horne-Francis opens up on personal growth, leadership and season 2025

What Jason Horne-Francis is doing on the field won’t surprise anyone – but how he’s grown in other facets of life might. The young star opens up two years on from his return home.

Jason Horne-Francis is well on his way to becoming the star many predicted he would become on the footy field.

But the real growth for the former No. 1 pick might just be coming away from games as the Port Adelaide midfielder continues to become who those close to him believe he was going to be – on and off the field.

The 21-year-old’s footballing ability has rarely been questioned since he burst onto the scene as a teenager, dominating SANFL footy for South Adelaide.

But it has been those little things off the field that were described as his “Achilles heel” and were a lightning rod for critics.

Whether it was not doing an ice bath recovery properly, maybe struggling when it came to his preparation for games or not dealing well with a lack of wins when he originally came into the AFL system – leading to his highly publicised move from North Melbourne to Port Adelaide at the end of 2022 – yes Horne-Francis had areas to improve.

However, he was still a teenager and predictions that he would get better with his preparation and attention to detail as he matures have proven to be true.

Jason Horne-Francis in action during the pre-season. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

As he prepares for his fourth season, the little things have become a big focus for Horne-Francis as he looks to build on 2024, when he made the All-Australian squad and finished second in the Power’s best and fairest.

Cooking has become a passion, Horne-Francis jokes that he might have to “start a Tik Tok like (Christian) Petracca”, while he has taken up boxing on his days away from Alberton to further improve his fitness.

Over the past two years, he has gone to America to look for new ways to improve, or methods to employ to get the most out of his body.

“I’m continuing to grow all the time,” he told The Advertiser.

“I have definitely grown off the field as a person with my prehab and rehab, that has improved a lot.

“And the on-field stuff, I wouldn’t say it comes naturally for me but footy has been the sport I have been playing for a while now and when you do those little things off the field the things on the field can come easy.”

This is being noticed by his teammates.

Former Port Adelaide captain, and the club’s AFL games record holder, Travis Boak took Horne-Francis under his wing when he first arrived at Alberton.

He said his growth off the field had been immense.

The Power young gun is ready to go to another level. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

“I’ve seen him grow a lot, when he first came I think he was a bit quiet and finding his place a bit but what I have loved the most is how he has grown as a professional,” he said.

“His understanding of what it takes to become a great athlete and a great footballer but also his leadership and his want to win and his demand from his teammates is something that has really stood out and is really cool.”

And leadership group member Willem Drew said he was confident even further improvement was likely this year.

“Just at training, his running numbers and he has said himself he has been doing extra sessions away from the club as well,” he said.

“It is great to see that sort of stuff.”

Horne-Francis with former North Melbourne teammate Hugh Greenwood. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos

HORNE-FRANCIS THE HEARTBEAT?

It was always a risk what the Kangaroos did when their Horne-Francis issue came to a head.

After not doing an ice bath recovery properly in August 2022, the Roos dropped him the following week – a clash against the Crows at Adelaide Oval.

Instead of playing in front of his family and friends for the first time in Adelaide, Horne-Francis was instead lining up in the VFL against Coburg.

North Melbourne legend and development coach Brent Harvey said it was about making sure the Roos’ culture was number one.

But he did concede that there was a risk of axing the South Australian, who was starting to become homesick and speculation was beginning to increase that he would look for a move home either at the end of that season or the next one.

Those close to Horne-Francis always maintained that he would figure out the professionalism and little side of things and that he needed more support in Melbourne – especially as the Kangaroos first ever No. 1 draft pick.

But, over two years on from his time in Melbourne, there is still a sense that he was left to his own devices there.

Whether the Kangaroos could have supported him more can be debated, depending on what side you are on or how you view his move.

But there is no doubt that Horne-Francis is held in high esteem by his Power teammates, even those who have years on him.

“I think he really leads our groups’ energy,” Brownlow Medallist Ollie Wines said.

“When we are at training he is always leading drills, leading with his energy in drills and he is a big component of where we are getting that life from both in training and in games.

“I think he is a bit of a heartbeat of our team and it hasn’t taken him long to get to that point.”

Boak said Horne-Francis being able to be himself had helped significantly.

“He has copped a lot of criticism in his first couple of years here at the club and moving was a big challenge for him but the more he can be himself, the more he can be authentic the better footy he will play,” he said.

“And he has been able to do that, he fits right in here, he is definitely himself and he is just a competitive beast and that is what shows on the field and honestly he has probably helped me more than I have helped him.”

Horne-Francis in an ice bath during a US trip with Travis Boak. Picture: Instagram

Boak took Horne-Francis under his wing when he landed at Alberton. Picture: Instagram

That might be Boak playing down his role.

“I have been really seeking knowledge from people on the outside and the older boys like Trav and Ollie and seeing what they do, it has been really beneficial,” Horne-Francis said.

Port Adelaide and Hawthorn legend Shaun Burgoyne said Horne-Francis had shown a lot of maturity being able to handle the fallout from the trade back to SA.

“He is a pretty mature kid Jason for his age, he is actually very mature,” he said.

“There has been a lot of hype around him, for good reason, but just generally embrace it and be true to himself which I think he is.”

It’s why it is almost a question of when, not if, he will be added to the Power’s leadership group.

“I think in previous teams I have (been a leader) and it is something I am looking forward to,” he said.

“When it comes it comes but I’ll just let my footy take care of itself and those things will come.”

HOW THE HORNET CAN TAKE OFF IN 2025

You can’t say Horne-Francis is not being honest.

Power senior coach Ken Hinkley wants the young star to almost be a full-time midfielder in his final season at Alberton.

The response from Horne-Francis has been that he might not be fit enough to do that right now.

But he will do anything to try and make it work.

“I think the goal, and it was for last year as well, to just play more consistent footy,” he said.

“As much as I can help the team win games it is just consistent footy I feel like that is it for me.

“Whether it is about working on my craft inside or on my outside game there are still so many areas that I can work and improve on.

“I think for me it is just playing consistent footy and I think those things will come off the back of it, team success is what we are all looking for and that is what we want to build here so I think those things just come.”

Burgoyne said how the Power use Horne-Francis between the midfield and forward line would be fascinating to watch in 2025.

“I think the challenge for Port and the coaching staff will be, and it is a good problem to have, is that he is so good on the ball and to have him in around the stoppages is big because he is so explosive but he is also such a capable player in the forward line as well,” he said.

“So finding the right balance between playing him on the ball and as a forward and the right mix with him, (Connor) Rozee and (Zak) Butters, Wines, Drew as well.

“So whether that is mid/forward with him and Rozee it is a good problem to have as a coaching group.”

Horne-Francis with coach Ken Hinkley. Picture: James Elsby/AFL Photos

Wines said he was excited about seeing what Horne-Francis could do with his defensive game.

“I think he always knew what he was capable of offensively and physically he is so powerful and dynamic,” he said.

“We know he can do that and he knows he can do that but seeing his development when he doesn’t have the ball in hand and what he can do defensively he can have as much impact on the game defensively when he doesn’t have the ball.

“I’ve always been big on pushing his weapons for him and wanting to put him in the best position to show those weapons off.

“He is so good at timing the ball, I’ve never seen someone time the ball and know where it is going to fall as good as him.

“So continue to put him in those positions and not think he is being selfish by doing that because the best way to win games is by players playing in the positions they play best in.”

Originally published as Port Adelaide star Jason Horne-Francis opens up on personal growth, leadership and season 2025