In the lead up to the 2021 National Draft, Adelaide attempted to trade pick six and two 2022 first-round selections to North Melbourne for pick one in an attempt to swipe South Australian Jason Horne-Francis.
With the news that the teenage midfielder has put off contract talks until at least the end of the year, would the Crows make the same offer to the Roos again?
They selected livewire forward Josh Rachele with pick six and their upcoming first-round pick will likely be in the top five once again. They no longer have that second 2022 first-rounder (tied to Melbourne) as it was used in the Jordan Dawson trade.
Would the Crows hypothetically offer up Rachele and another top-five pick for Horne-Francis 12 months on? Kane Cornes doesn’t think so.
“What did Adelaide try to give up to get him in the draft? It was as big an offer in terms of a pick-swap in the history of the game,” Cornes said on SEN SA Breakfast.
“Crows fans, would you offer up Rachele and a first-round pick now? Because that’s what the offer was six months ago. I would say no way in hell would I do that.”
Horne-Francis is contracted through to the end of the 2023 season and Cornes believes he’s making a savvy business decision to hold out – one that would have both Adelaide and Port Adelaide asking the question.
“I don’t think he’ll leave, but it’s coincidental for me and the story was he was going to sign and now he’s not, he’s put the talks off,” the former Port Adelaide midfielder added.
“In the same week that they’ve put talks off, North Melbourne are getting smashed and there’s been a story regarding the coach going too hard on the players.
“It’s almost the perfect storm and you think well hang on, is he not happy with the way the coach is coaching the group because that story has come out in the same week? I don’t know.
“He’s not out of contract this year. He’s out of contract at the end of next year. If I was Horne-Francis I would be doing the exact same thing.
“No criticism, it is smart business what he has done, but it definitely gives an in, if there wasn’t an in already, to particularly the Crows more so than Port Adelaide.”
Horne-Francis received a Rising Star nomination in Round 7. He has played eight games so far for the Kangaroos, averaging 18.6 disposals and 4.8 clearances per game.
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