Bryce Gibbs is disappointed for Jason Horne-Francis after the Port Adelaide recruit was forced to undergo surgery, delaying his first pre-season at the club.
The surgery occurred after he was diagnosed with artery compression behind his knees, with the Power aware of the concern before they traded for him.
While the young star will miss the start of the pre-season, Gibbs says Horne-Francis - a former teammate of his at SANFL club South Adelaide – will be ready to go come Round 1.
“It is a bit disappointing, and it is a bit of a step back because I know how hard he was training,” Gibbs said on SEN SA Breakfast.
“He had taken a fair chunk off his 2k time trial already and pre-season hasn’t even started yet.
“He was pretty determined to start the year off with a bang, obviously it’s not ideal preparation, he’s going to miss a bit of the pre-season.
“But he’s going to get back with enough time to get enough training under his belt to be ready to go come Round 1.”
Port Adelaide hopes Horne-Francis’ surgery will increase blood flow to his lower legs and help ease the pain that was often “debilitating” in his first year with North Melbourne.
Given that the teenager still showed glimpses of his elite potential while playing under duress, Gibbs believes Horne-Francis could be a “scary proposition” in 2023 if the surgery is a success.
“He’s the type of player to not whinge or complain too much, especially on the field,” Gibbs explained.
“Hopefully this knocks it on the head, and I think it’s a scary proposition.
“A fully fit Jason Horne-Francis heading into the next AFL season will be a very happy one for Port Adelaide and a very daunting one for other teams.”
Last year’s no. 1 draft pick averaged 16.5 disposals and 3.4 disposals from 17 games in his first AFL season.