North Melbourne fans have known it for some time, but now it's official. Jason Horne-Francis is a Rising Star of our game.
For his efforts against Carlton on Saturday, Horne-Francis has been rewarded with the Round 7 nomination for the NAB AFL Rising Star Award. He's the first Kangaroo to earn the recognition of a nomination since Curtis Taylor in Round 5, 2020.
After beginning his year playing forward, Horne-Francis has shifted into a primary midfield role and his impressed not just with his class and obvious talent, but with his grit and desire to win at all costs.
Against the Blues he finished with an explosive 20 disposals and three clearances. His 400 metres gained was third behind for the Roos only Jaidyn Stephenson and Bailey Scott - all while only spending 68 per cent time on ground.
General Manager of Football Performance Dan McPherson says Horne-Francis is deserving of the nomination due to a number of strong performances.
"Jason's done a really good job to come in and play at the level straight away. He's well and truly earned this recognition," McPherson told North Media.
"I think the expectations are pretty high given he's a No.1 draft pick. What he has to produce and how he has to perform to earn that nomination is probably higher than most.
"We expect he'll continue to improve week-on-week, which he has done over the last few weeks. He's done a wonderful job so far this season as far as we're concerned."
