Small forward in limbo as he waits to settle on VFL club after “unlucky” Port delisting

Francis Evans admits his delisting at Port Adelaide all hinged on the massive three-club deal that eventually took place in the recent trade period.

The 23-year-old small forward was recently let go by the Power after two seasons and 27 games with the club following his initial seven-game stint with Geelong.

Evans played 17 games in 2024, including all three finals, so the lack of a contract for 2025 was seen by some as a surprise, but he felt he knew what was coming.

He says his fate was sealed once Port, Collingwood and Gold Coast agreed a trade involving Dan Houston, Joe Richards, Jack Lukosius, John Noble, Rory Atkins and draft picks.

“We had a bit of an inkling,” Evans said on SEN SA Breakfast.

“We kind of knew it was 50-50 going into the trade period. The club obviously had a few trade targets that they wanted to get into the club.

“It was just a bit of a waiting game, then once that big trade went through that was the writing on the wall for me.

“We kind of had an idea.”

Despite being informed at his exit meeting that this could be his fate, Evans does believe he was somewhat stiff to lose his spot on Port’s list.

“It was in my exit interview and they explained that they were going after a few people,” he continued.

“List spots are so tight at the end of the year and they (Port) got a few people in and a few picks at the draft. That was the main conversation at the end of the season.

“I think I was a little bit unlucky, potentially.”

Evans has returned to his home town of Melbourne and is seeking an opportunity with a VFL club so he can again put himself in the shop window.

He says he has “narrowed it down to a couple” of unnamed clubs at local state league level, but nothing is set in stone just yet.

Regardless, Evans has confidence in himself that he will find his way onto another AFL list before too long.

“I’m back home in Melbourne trying to figure out a few things,” he said further.

“I had to wait until the trade period (finished) and now clubs are going through the draft and rookie spots, so we’re still kind of waiting and trying to figure out what next year will look like.

“We’re still in a little bit of limbo. We’re pretty much just waiting on some clubs to figure out what they’re doing and we’ll go from there.”

He continued: “It’s out of my control. If it doesn’t happen this season then I’m still pretty confident in myself. It might be a longer period playing VFL or whatever it will be.

“I’m still confident in my abilities. I know that I’ll get another chance, it might just take a while and I might have to grind away in the twos for a little bit.

“I’m just looking forward to cracking back into it at whatever level that will be next year.”

Evans was drafted out of the VAFA by the Cats in 2019 and played seven games in blue and white across the 2021 and 2022 seasons.

He was delisted at the end of 2022 before gaining another shot with the Power where he kicked 19 goals in 27 outings for a career total of 22 goals from 34 games.