North Melbourne boss calls on AFL to stop ‘mob bullying’ of Jason Horne-Francis
North Melbourne boss calls on AFL to stop ‘mob bullying’ of Jason Horne-Francis as teen star admits seeing club psychologist after relentless jeers
- Horne-Francis left North Melbourne to join Port Adelaide
- Has been booed by AFL fans in games this year
- His former boss comes to his rescue
Esteemed Port Adelaide recruit Jason Horne-Francis has sought help from the club’s psychologist as North Melbourne boss Sonya Hood calls on the AFL to step in and stop crowds berating the former Kangaroos star .
Horne-Francis was announced as North Melbourne’s future when he was chosen as the number 1 draft pick ahead of the 2022 season.
However, his brief stay with the Kangaroos was marred by controversy, including an on-field altercation with former teammate Todd Goldstein and being dropped for refusing to take an ice bath properly.
Finally, the teenage star returned home to Port Adelaide and was greeted with boos in games against Collingwood and most recently the Bulldogs at Gather Round.
Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley emphatically defended the young star after that match, knocking down those who booed him.
Horne-Francis has endured a torrid start to his time at Port Adelaide with crowds booing him in matches against Collingwood and Western Bululdo
It was a trial by fire for teen star Horne-Francis as he was drafted by the contending Kangaroos ahead of the 2022 season
Now, former Horne-Francis boss Sonja Hood has also jumped the former Kangaroo’s defense and reached out to the AFL for advice on how to stop the jeers.
“I’m amazed,” said Hood The age.
‘I do not like it. I don’t understand where it comes from. I would expect if we play Port there will be booing, just like Fremantle supporters booed Griffin Logue when we played the Dockers earlier this year.
“It comes from issues about Jason’s year here being well documented and to be honest we probably didn’t provide the perfect environment last year. It has been an eventful year at the club. But in the end he got a good result and we got a good result.
“I adore Jason and I adore his family. I feel for them. It’s this huge pile-up where we’re really trying to identify someone and treat him like a bad guy and he’s just not that.”
It comes as Horne-Francis admitted the jeering affected him and he sought help from the Port Adelaide club’s pschologist.
“I talked to Amanda a lot [LeCouteur]the club psychologist, about letting things come to me and putting myself down,” he told The Age.
“I understand the side of the North supporters. I was a young child and I made the brave decision to come home, and they are understandably disappointed.
“I’m just a little confused as to why Collingwood, Sydney and Bulldogs supporters…why they would berate me.”
North Melbourne president Sonja Hood defends former Kangaroos star Horne-Francis and wants the AFL to advise on how to stop the booing
Port Adelaide teammate Travis Boak has been one of many to lend Horne-Francis a helping hand as he battles to the cheers of the crowd
Teammate Travis Boak has also reached out to the young star to check on his mental well-being.
“I just wanted to check in with him to see how he’s doing. First and foremost we are all human and he is only 19. He doesn’t like jeers and that is totally understandable. None of us would do that,” he said.
“But my concern was about his footy and whether he was enjoying it and I was relieved to learn he was.
“He makes it so hard for himself when he doesn’t perform well and when he thinks he’s let us down. He wants to win so badly and that competitiveness is so nice to have around.’