Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley has slammed critics and fans that have taken aim at young Power midfielder Jason Horne-Francis early this season.
Horne-Francis has been a target of attention from the media and fans throughout the first two years of his career which saw him taken by North Melbourne with pick No. 1 in the 2021 Draft before making a sensational move home to South Australia last off-season.
After the 19-year-old was booed by sections of the Adelaide Oval crowd in Saturday night’s win over the Western Bulldogs - having also received similar jeers weeks earlier this season at the MCG against Collingwood - Hinkley described his treatment as unfair.
“Jason Horne-Francis is 19, some parts really annoy me about the way people treat him, it’s annoying me,” Hinkley said post-match.
“He’s never going to play four quarters every week. He’s 19 years old, if you’re treating my 19-year-old son the way some people have treated him, I’d be embarrassed by my performance if I was those people.
“I think it’s been really unfair. The kid made a courageous decision to come home, let the kid play footy, he’s 19.”
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Horne-Francis was solid in the 70-56 win over the Bulldogs, racking up 19 disposals and five clearances and Hinkley says his naysayers need to start viewing the midfielder rightly as a teenager instead of a seasoned veteran.
“I’m talking about lots of things. I’m talking about people who write stories every week, talk stories every week and I’m talking about the treatment that they gave him, at times, tonight,” Hinkley said.
“Without making a big deal of it, the kid’s trying, he’s giving his best.
“He’s 19, stop treating him like he’s 28 and treat the kid with some respect.
“And I tell you what, some people who put pressure on kids in this game need to have a good hard look at themselves.
“Great credit to him. He just wants to play good footy. He’s happy being home. Good on him.”
After two consecutive wins, the Power hold a record of 3-2 and they’ll next gear up for a clash against West Coast at home next Saturday, a game they’ll enter as heavy favourites.