Fabian Francis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fabian Francis |
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| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Fabian Francis | ||
| Date of birth | 24 October 1973 | ||
| Place of birth | Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia | ||
| Original team | Southern Districts (NTFL) | ||
Fabian Francis (born 24 October 1973) is a former professional athlete from Australia. He played both Australian rules football and rugby league. He is best known for his time with the Port Adelaide Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). His step-son, Jason Horne-Francis, was the top pick in the 2021 AFL draft.
Contents
Early Life and Sports Beginnings
Fabian Francis was born in Darwin, Northern Territory. His family has Torres Strait Islander heritage. Growing up, he enjoyed playing both rugby league and Australian rules football.
In 1992, Francis played for the Litchfield Rugby League Club. His team won a championship that year. He then decided to focus on Australian rules football. He started playing for the Southern Districts Football Club in the Northern Territory Football League.
In 1992, Francis moved to Adelaide. He joined the Port Adelaide team in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL). Even though he didn't play a senior game for Port Adelaide at that time, he impressed the Melbourne team. They chose him in the AFL draft.
AFL Career Highlights
Francis made his AFL debut with Melbourne in 1991. He played one season with them. After that, he returned to Darwin to play rugby league.
Brisbane coach Robert Walls encouraged Francis to return to Australian rules football. Francis then played for the Brisbane Bears from 1994 to 1995. During the off-season, he continued to play rugby league in Darwin. He was part of the Northern Territory team that won the 1995 Ansett Challenge Cup.
Francis returned to Port Adelaide for the 1996 season. He helped Port Adelaide win the 1996 SANFL Grand Final. He was also runner-up for the Magarey Medal, a big award in the SANFL. In 1997, he became one of the first players for Port Adelaide's new AFL team. Fans really liked Francis, and he won the Member's Choice award for favorite player in both 1999 and 2000.
After the 2001 AFL season, Francis left Port Adelaide. He then moved to Perth with his family. He joined the South Fremantle Football Club in the WAFL for the 2002 season. He played three games there before he stopped playing senior football.
Life After Professional Football
After his professional football career, Fabian Francis began working to help others. He has worked with Indigenous Australians who are looking for jobs. He helped them find work in Darwin and Alice Springs.
See Also
- 1996 SANFL Grand Final
