| Tony Francis | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal information | |||
| Date of birth | (1969-04-01)1 April 1969 (age 55) | ||
| Place of birth | South Australia | ||
| Original team(s) | Norwood (SANFL) | ||
| Draft | No. 95,1988 national draft | ||
| Debut | Round 1, 1 April 1990,Collingwood vs.West Coast Eagles, atSubiaco Oval | ||
| Height | 171 cm (5 ft 7 in) | ||
| Weight | 74 kg (163 lb) | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 1990—1998 | Collingwood | 142 (103) | |
| 1999 | St Kilda | 19(5) | |
| Total | 161 (108) | ||
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1999. | |||
| Career highlights | |||
| |||
| Sources:AFL Tables,AustralianFootball.com | |||
Tony Wayne Francis (born 1 April 1969 inSouth Australia) is a formerAustralian rules footballer in theAustralian Football League.
Francis attended Campbelltown High School and first played senior football in theSANFL with theNorwood Football Club, debuting in 1988. After two seasons with the club, he was recruited by AFL sideCollingwood, where he made his debut in1990.
On his AFL debut, which was also his 21st birthday, Francis wassuspended for 6 weeks due to a kicking incident.[1] When he returned, he still showed his trademark aggression, as well as discipline and was an important member of Collingwood's 1990 premiership side.
In 1991, Francis improved further, with a major asset being bursts of pace and an ability to win the ball from tight pack situations. This form saw him take out theCopeland Trophy and earn a spot in theAll-Australian Team. 1992 sawAchilles tendon problems for Francis, but he still enjoyed a solid season.
Following this, Francis continued to suffer injuries, such as the thigh and knee problems that hampered him in 1995. He showed better signs, however, when he finished 3rd in the 1996 Copeland Trophy award.
1997 saw a groin injury restrict him to 10 games, and he again managed only 10 matches in the 1998 campaign. Collingwood had enough, and Francis was sent to theSt Kilda Football Club for one last season in 1999. Francis enjoyed solid form as a tough rover, and played 19 matches (although the Saints' second half of the season saw them miss the finals). Soon after, Francis announced his retirement.