Josh Francou

Personal information
Birth	7 August 1974 (1974-08-07) (age 35)
Recruited from	North Adelaide
Playing career¹
Debut	Round 1, 29 March 1997, Port Adelaide vs. Collingwood, at MCG
Team(s)	Port Adelaide (1997–2006) 156 games, 72 goals
¹ Statistics to end of 2006 season
Career highlights
2nd Brownlow Medal 2002 3rd (equal) Brownlow Medal 2001 Magarey Medal 1996 All-Australian 2002 International Rules Series 2001, 2002 Pre-season premiership sides 2001, 2002

Joshua "Josh" Francou (born 7 August 1974) is a former Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League.

Contents 1 Port Adelaide (1997-2006) 2 Injuries and retirement (2003-2006) 3 Since retirement (2006-) 4 AFL Statistics 5 External links

[edit] Port Adelaide (1997-2006)

Debuting with Port Adelaide as a 22-year-old, Francou was part of Port Adelaide's Inaugural team. He was one of the clubs best players, playing every game, averaging a respectable 15 disposals per game as well as kicking 16 goals for the year. He played every game the next season also, averaging 16 disposals. In the 1999 season, Francou missed out on just three games. Port Adelaide played in their first final in that year, losing to the Kangaroos by 44 points.

The 2000 season was a good one for Francou, averaging 22 creative disposals a match. He continued to average over 20 disposals the next season, kicking 7 goals in both years. In 2002, he once again averaged over 20 disposals, and for the first time since 1998, played in all games.

[edit] Injuries and retirement (2003-2006)

In his early career in the SANFL, Francou dislocated his left knee so badly it bent 90 degress forcing him out of the game for over a year. In recent times, he has been ravaged with knee-reconstructions, one in just his second game of the year in 2003, and then another injury to his other good knee in Pre-Season 2004. He was able to play every game except one in 2005 (despite battling osteitis pubis). He injured both his left and right knee.

On 23 August 23 2006, Francou announced his retirement after playing only 23 games since his knee reconstruction in 2003, and no games in his final year (2006). [1]

[edit] Since retirement (2006-)

Josh has joined radio station 5AA, replacing Port legend Russel Ebert as special comments commentator. He also writes for the Adelaide Advertiser where his forth-right views have often been the topic of much football discussion.

Josh Francou has also worked as a part-time Physical Education teacher at Banksia Park International High School and Pulteney Grammar School in South Australia. He is currently teaching at Prince Alfred College.

[edit] AFL Statistics

• Games - 156
• Disposals - 3020
• Av Disp per game - 19
• Goals - 72
• Behinds - 81
• Accuracy - 47%

[edit] External links

• Josh Francou profile on the Official AFL Website of the Port Adelaide Football Club
• Josh Francou's statistics from AFL Tables