An ebullient, pacy and abundantly skilled rover, Tony Francis joined Norwood from Campbelltown High and made his league debut in 1988. He played 47 games in two seasons for the Redlegs before crossing the border to join Collingwood. His AFL career got off to just about the worst start imaginable when he was reported for kicking during the first match of the 1990 season against West Coast at Subiaco. The Tribunal handed him a six week suspension, but when he returned he was a more disciplined, if no less vibrantly aggressive, player. At the end of the season he was a prominent member of the Magpies' 13.11 (89) to 5.11 (41) grand final defeat of Essendon.

Francis continued in excellent form in 1991, winning Collingwood's best and fairest award, and gaining selection in the AFL All Australian team. Thereafter his effectiveness was undermined to a certain extent by a series of injuries, but he remained a serviceable player for the 'Pies until the end of the 1998 season, by which time he had played 142 AFL games and booted 103 goals. His final season came in 1999 when he played 19 games and kicked 5 goals for St Kilda.


*Courtesy of John Devaney at www.fullpointsfooty.net

<< Back