Horne-Francis Requests Trade to Port Adelaide

The 23-year-old former No. 1 draft pick wants out of North Melbourne after one season remaining on his contract.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Football

Wide photograph of an empty Australian Rules football oval with tall goal posts under a pale sky, evoking a quiet moment of uncertainty around a player's future. — North Melbourne's Jason Horne-Francis has requested a trade to Port Adelaide, with one season left on his contract after the 23-year-old former No. 1 draft pick sought a club with a longer-term coach. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Jason Horne-Francis has requested a trade from North Melbourne to Port Adelaide, with one year left on his two-year draftee contract. Port Adelaide is also pursuing Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, who is out of contract at St Kilda.

Why it matters

Horne-Francis cited uncertainty over coach Alastair Clarkson's availability amid the Hawthorn racism saga, saying he felt it better to join a club with a long-term coach. The request reflects how off-field instability can shape a player's career decisions.

Horne-Francis has one year left on a two-year draftee contract after being selected first overall in 2021. The extraction does not confirm any trade terms or whether North Melbourne has accepted the request.

The players

Jason Horne-Francis

A 23-year-old midfielder and former No. 1 draft pick who has requested a trade from North Melbourne to Port Adelaide.

Alastair Clarkson

A former Hawthorn coach who became North Melbourne's coach in late 2022 and was cleared of wrongdoing in the Hawthorn racism saga.

Port Adelaide

The AFL club in South Australia that Horne-Francis has requested to join and that is also pursuing Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera.

The details

Horne-Francis made the request after discussions with his manager and family and a meeting with Clarkson and his father about his role for the year. Clarkson replaced David Noble as coach in late 2022 and was later exonerated of wrongdoing in the Hawthorn racism saga, but missed several months in 2023 due to the personal toll.

2021: North Melbourne selects Horne-Francis with the No. 1 pick
Late 2022: Alastair Clarkson replaces David Noble as North Melbourne coach
2023: Clarkson misses multiple months due to personal toll

Big Picture

Clarkson's involvement in the Hawthorn racism saga, from which he was exonerated, continued to cast doubt over his availability at North Melbourne. Horne-Francis's request shows how that uncertainty has spilled into player movement in the AFL.

If the trade proceeds, Port Adelaide gains a 23-year-old midfielder with one year left on his contract, affecting its list and recruiting plans. Fantasy managers tracking Horne-Francis will need to watch whether his move changes his role.

The takeaway

Player movement can be driven as much by off-field stability as by contract terms, and clubs with unsettled leadership may lose players who want certainty. Readers following the AFL should watch how the Horne-Francis and Wanganeen-Milera situations develop.