Past #6: Jason Horne-Francis - NM have been informed by JHF's management that he will seek a trade to SA [contracted for 2023]

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Mar 17, 2008
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I'm comfortable calling him a generational talent now.


McDonald, Simpkin, LDU, Thomas, Powell, Phillips were nowhere near this good in their first pre-season. Powell and McDonald were probably the best at 18 in that group, but JHF is on a completely different level, he honestly looked a better midfielder than Simpkin and LDU out there today and only second to Thomas who was in Carlton-esque cheat mode form.

The thing is, I actually think he's closer to 18 year old LDU/Simpkin fitness wise than Ryan Bastinac/Ryan Clarke. He has a TON of physical improvement to come.

Can you imagine when he's built like Ruccuito and can play 120 minutes in the midfield? fu** me.
Don't know if we should be calling him a generational talent before he's even played a game. I hope he is, and seems to have the potential to be one, but let's not get too carried away.
 

BlueandWhiteinmyBlood

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May 27, 2019
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He was a good player IMO, his weakmesses were overstated.

Yeah I agree. Always like how Hardwick admitted this re Ellis. He was in the best 22 for a few years, then in and out, then cemented back in. Heard Hardwick say in a presser one day, I decided to focus on what he could do rather then what he couldn’t. Think the same could have applied for Mullet a bit more in his time at North.
 

Swallow_Wood

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Don't know if we should be calling him a generational talent before he's even played a game. I hope he is, and seems to have the potential to be one, but let's not get too carried away.
Its a big call and not one that i necessarily agree with because such calls are always fraught.

However......

I have been to a heap of trainig sessions over the years, seen a heap of scratch matches and intraclub hit outs and watch a myriad of first year players test themselves against against more seasoned AFL players. Never have i seen a draftee so far advanced in his first season. His speed, explosiveness, strength and leap are AFL standard already and he's not an exceptionally big kid. His attack is better than anyone I have seen at his age. His ball use and game sense is probably on par with Tom Powell's last season. Combine all that and what we have is a fantastic prospect. He's blue chip, top shelf, cream of the crop etc.
 

Sphynx

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Jul 10, 2011
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Its a big call and not one that i necessarily agree with because such calls are always fraught.

However......

I have been to a heap of trainig sessions over the years, seen a heap of scratch matches and intraclub hit outs and watch a myriad of first year players test themselves against against more seasoned AFL players. Never have i seen a draftee so far advanced in his first season. His speed, explosiveness, strength and leap are AFL standard already and he's not an exceptionally big kid. His attack is better than anyone I have seen at his age. His ball use and game sense is probably on par with Tom Powell's last season. Combine all that and what we have is a fantastic prospect. He's blue chip, top shelf, cream of the crop etc.

His attack on the ball and the man is the thing that stands out, it’s Joel Selwood esque, but imagine it from someone with elite speed and power. He’s going to be frightening when he’s 25.

Most of these mercurial powerful types are lazy defensively (think Jake Stringer), he’s the complete opposite.

I’m interested to see Greenwood and JHF partnered at stoppages throughout the year, our defensive rating would go through the roof.
 

Swallow_Wood

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Jun 11, 2015
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His attack on the ball and the man is the thing that stands out, it’s Joel Selwood esque, but imagine it from someone with elite speed and power. He’s going to be frightening when he’s 25.

Most of these mercurial powerful types are lazy defensively (think Jake Stringer), he’s the complete opposite.

I’m interested to see Greenwood and JHF partnered at stoppages throughout the year, our defensive rating would go through the roof.
On that last bit, i think Greenwoods effort yesterday is being overlooked a bit. He was really good and his work at stoppages really helped Will and JHF. His recruitment looks like it will be a masterstroke.
 
Apr 7, 2013
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Hajduk Split
We have the swans on March 6 in the Community series.

Does anybody know if we have any other pre season games that will be televised ?
 

Ether

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Oct 21, 2019
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His attack on the ball and the man is the thing that stands out, it’s Joel Selwood esque, but imagine it from someone with elite speed and power. He’s going to be frightening when he’s 25.

Most of these mercurial powerful types are lazy defensively (think Jake Stringer), he’s the complete opposite.

I’m interested to see Greenwood and JHF partnered at stoppages throughout the year, our defensive rating would go through the roof.
Most of the gun mids are primarily offensive players and I assume it's not from laziness but what's best for the team. Can a player be fit enough to be a defensive animal and shred the opposition going forward? (Actually it's probably less about fitness and more about positioning and your role at stoppages.) Any players come to mind who that?
 
Its a big call and not one that i necessarily agree with because such calls are always fraught.

However......

I have been to a heap of trainig sessions over the years, seen a heap of scratch matches and intraclub hit outs and watch a myriad of first year players test themselves against against more seasoned AFL players. Never have i seen a draftee so far advanced in his first season. His speed, explosiveness, strength and leap are AFL standard already and he's not an exceptionally big kid. His attack is better than anyone I have seen at his age. His ball use and game sense is probably on par with Tom Powell's last season. Combine all that and what we have is a fantastic prospect. He's blue chip, top shelf, cream of the crop etc.

We deserve a stroke of luck after all the s**t of the last decade.

That we got a full formed footballer rather than Big Kid at our first and hopefully only pick 1 is the universe evening itself out.
 
Most of the gun mids are primarily offensive players and I assume it's not from laziness but what's best for the team. Can a player be fit enough to be a defensive animal and shred the opposition going forward? (Actually it's probably less about fitness and more about positioning and your role at stoppages.) Any players come to mind who that?
Daniel Wells in 2016.

(Yes I'm serious.)
 

Sphynx

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Jul 10, 2011
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Most of the gun mids are primarily offensive players and I assume it's not from laziness but what's best for the team. Can a player be fit enough to be a defensive animal and shred the opposition going forward? (Actually it's probably less about fitness and more about positioning and your role at stoppages.) Any players come to mind who that?

Jack Steele and Touk Miller
 
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Its a big call and not one that i necessarily agree with because such calls are always fraught.

However......

I have been to a heap of trainig sessions over the years, seen a heap of scratch matches and intraclub hit outs and watch a myriad of first year players test themselves against against more seasoned AFL players. Never have i seen a draftee so far advanced in his first season. His speed, explosiveness, strength and leap are AFL standard already and he's not an exceptionally big kid. His attack is better than anyone I have seen at his age. His ball use and game sense is probably on par with Tom Powell's last season. Combine all that and what we have is a fantastic prospect. He's blue chip, top shelf, cream of the crop etc.
So he’s just like Greenwood then?
 
Mar 17, 2008
50
124
Melbourne
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Its a big call and not one that i necessarily agree with because such calls are always fraught.

However......

I have been to a heap of trainig sessions over the years, seen a heap of scratch matches and intraclub hit outs and watch a myriad of first year players test themselves against against more seasoned AFL players. Never have i seen a draftee so far advanced in his first season. His speed, explosiveness, strength and leap are AFL standard already and he's not an exceptionally big kid. His attack is better than anyone I have seen at his age. His ball use and game sense is probably on par with Tom Powell's last season. Combine all that and what we have is a fantastic prospect. He's blue chip, top shelf, cream of the crop etc.
I certainly hope you are right. And all I have really seen of him to be honest is that prelim he dominated late last season. So from what I've seen he certainly looked like it.

I'd just hate to see everyone have these enormous expectations that he can't live up to, and then everyone turns on him. I've see it happen far too many times, not only with previous and current north players, but also in other sports I follow.

My biggest worry is that he has physically matured earlier than all the other 18 year olds and when the rest catch him he might not be so powerful and explosive. Could potentially mean his physical ceiling isn't that much higher than where he is now.

But while saying that, his skills and aggression alone should hold him in good stead to be a top player regardless of his physical development.
 
Sep 21, 2008
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So he has a bit of swagger/confidence/ego about him. I absolutely love it. Self confidence (without being an arrogant wank) is sometimes the difference between a player being really good, and a player being truly elite.

That belief and his natural competitiveness is something you can’t teach.

Players like Carey, Ablett and Selwood all had it.
 
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