Kangaroos young gun Jason Horne-Francis has earned rave reviews on his AFL debut, despite being unable to lift his team to a win over Hawthorn.
Horne-Francis, the No.1 selection in last year’s AFL draft, was bright early, but faded as the game wore on as Hawthorn ran out 11. 12. (78) to 8. 10. (58) winners at the MCG.
The 18-year-old South Australian native finished with 13 disposals, three marks, three tackles and a goal in his first match, but offered glimpses of his immense potential throughout the contest.
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Despite not having much of the ball, Horne-Francis recorded six score involvements, highlighting his ability to damage opponents.
“He’s been terrific. We came here today in such excitement, he just give so much hope for the future,” North Melbourne great David King said on Fox Footy’s coverage.
“This guy is going to be the headline act for a decade, I loved the way he’s started, he plays with a level of anger that most don’t carry and he’s got a great finish on him.
“That excitement there, that’s enough for me, I’ll be back, I’m a fan.”
Richmond legend Matthew Richardson was also impressed by Horne-Francis’ first match.
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“He’s a natural player already… he already looks like he’s got the pace of the game,” Richardson said on commentary for 3AW.
“Don’t want to pump a kid up too early, but I think you’re safe to do it with this guy.”
North Melbourne coach David Noble was also full of praise for his youngster, calling his debut “terrific” after the match. Noble also praised Horne-Francis for showing “real class”.
Horne-Francis spent large amounts of time forward of the ball and Noble indicated that the midfield-forward split was what he and his coaching staff envisioned for the young gun.
Despite the excitement around Horne-Francis, Hawthorn’s experienced stars stood up when they were needed most.
Brownlow Medallist Tom Mitchell led all Hawks with 29 disposals, while James Sicily added 27 touches in his first match after a long injury layoff.
Hawthorn will travel to Adelaide to face Port Adelaide in Round 2, while the Kangaroos will host the West Coast Eagles at Marvel Stadium.