Josh Francou

Recruited from North Adelaide as a priority selection ahead of Port Adelaide's entry into the AFL, Josh Francou arrived at the elite level with a Magarey Medal already to his name, allowing him to make an immediate impact as a ready-made midfielder. He quickly established himself as the engine of the Power's midfield, renowned for his exceptional clearance work and ability to extract the ball from congestion. While he lacked blistering pace, Francou possessed elite spatial awareness, strong hips, and a rare ability to find time in heavy traffic, attributes that saw him earn All-Australian honours and finish runner-up in the 2002 Brownlow Medal.

Despite his individual brilliance during the club's rise to dominance, Francou's career is often defined by the cruel timing of his injuries. At the peak of his powers, he ruptured his ACL in the 2004 pre-season, forcing him to watch from the sidelines as his teammates claimed the club's historic first AFL premiership. A recurrence of the knee injury upon his return wiped out his 2005 season and effectively brought his playing days to a premature end. He retired in 2006 as a "heart and soul" player who, although missing out on the ultimate premiership glory, remains celebrated as one of Port Adelaide's foundational greats.