No.1 pick forced to watch AFL draft on phone

Draft nighttime is 1 of the highlights of a young footballer's career, but COVID-19 has ruined the acquisition for the AFL's past 2 draught classes.

Due to restrictions successful assorted states, the AFL Draft was erstwhile again a virtual lawsuit for the 2nd consecutive year, and exertion wreaked havoc close astatine the beginning.

While it was nary concealed that North Melbourne would prime South Australian imaginable Jason Horne-Francis archetypal overall, helium was handed an excruciating hold owed to a commercialized and a TV malfunction.

RECAP: The archetypal circular of the 2021 AFL Draft arsenic it happened

As AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan announced that the Kangaroos had so made Horne-Francis the No.1 pick, fans were confused arsenic to wherefore determination was small to nary disposable absorption from the youngster himself, who was watching from South Australia.

Horne-Francis was forced to ticker the draught connected his manager's telephone aft a TV nonaccomplishment successful South Australia (Getty)

Later, Horne-Francis revealed that the TV helium was watching the draught connected died conscionable moments earlier his sanction was work out, leaving the youngster being forced to ticker the draught connected his manager's phone.

"It was a spot weird," Horne-Francis told Fox Footy of the moment.

"The TV unopen disconnected and we couldn't spot much. Luckily, my manager Benny hooked america up with his telephone and I was capable to ticker it."

Horne-Francis has earned rave reviews successful the lead-up to the draft, compared to the likes of Michael Voss and Patrick Dangerfield arsenic North resisted commercialized offers for the No.1 prime from a fig of rival clubs.

Horne-Francis was presented his No.6 jumper from North Melbourne fable Malcolm Blight (Getty)

He described the feeling of being drafted arsenic "a beauteous peculiar moment".

"Definitely a batch of excitement. I can't hold to get into things with the North Melbourne footy club," helium said.

"North are [heading] connected the close absorption and they've got a batch of young midfielders and I deliberation I tin larn a batch disconnected the players astatine the club.

"It's a imagination for a batch of players to travel successful and marque their debut Round 1 and hopefully that's the lawsuit for me. I consciousness similar I'm beauteous good prepared and acceptable for it."

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