Port Adelaide recruit Jason Horne-Francis has recovered from leg surgery and is relishing what he believes is a higher level of training at his new AFL club than what he had at North Melbourne.
Horne-Francis, the 2021 No.1 draft pick, shocked the Kangaroos with a trade request at the end of last year and ultimately secured a move home to South Australia.
But the 19-year-old required surgery to decompress the arteries in the back of his knees and spent the early part of his first summer program with the Power in rehabilitation.
"It was a pretty heavy surgery that needed to be done," Horne-Francis said in an interview published on Port Adelaide's website.
"There's no issues with them now other than some pretty heavy scars. Everything's going really well.
"I'm back in full training and just the level that we're training at here is something I've never seen before.
"It's a competitive environment and that's something I love.
"The training standard that we're at is awesome and I'm loving being on the track with the boys."
Horne-Francis said it was difficult being unable to immediately hit the training track to prove himself to his new teammates after the most high-profile trade of the off-season.
"Coming to a new club and being in rehab was obviously tough," he said.
"I wasn't able to be around the boys as much as I would have liked to but definitely coming back training now has been awesome."
Horne-Francis' step-father Fabian Francis played with Port Adelaide in the AFL and SANFL, winning two premierships in the state league.
The young midfield star cited being closer to family as a key reason for his trade request and is enjoying being back in his home state.
"To have the support network I have around me now and to be at a great club like Port Adelaide with the great players and coaching staff and members we have here is just awesome," Horne-Francis said.
"Dad brought me up the Port way and that's all I've ever known from a young age, so it's great to be at Port and living what I'd dreamt (about).
"To have someone like Dad beside me and helping me is something I'll cherish. It's the best thing ... and I love him to bits."
Fellow Port recruit Junior Rioli has also settled in well after leaving West Coast, who were "bitterly disappointed" when their 2018 premiership forward departed after the Eagles supported him through his two-year doping ban.
"Coming over here, I feel like there's great support around me and that will get the best out of me," Rioli said.
"I've got Shaunny (Burgoyne) looking out for me. He's my mentor and if I can get close to as many games as he got to I'd be happy."
