Francis Evans (footballer)
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Melbourne, Victoria
Brunswick NOBS (VAFA)
| Francis Evans | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Evans with Carlton's VFL side in April 2025 | |||
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Francis Evans | ||
| Nickname | Frank the Tank[1] | ||
| Born |
23 August 2001 Melbourne, Victoria | ||
| Original teams |
Calder Cannons (NAB League) Brunswick NOBS (VAFA) | ||
| Draft | No. 41, 2019 AFL draft | ||
| Debut | Round 2, 2021, Geelong vs. Brisbane Lions, at Kardinia Park | ||
| Height | 182 cm (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Weight | 78 kg (172 lb) | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Carlton | ||
| Number | 44 | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 2020–2022 | Geelong | 7 (3) | |
| 2023–2024 | Port Adelaide | 27 (19) | |
| 2025– | Carlton | 15 (16) | |
| Total | 49 (38) | ||
|
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of round 7, 2026. | |||
| Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com | |||
Francis Evans (born 23 August 2001) is an Australian rules footballer who plays for the Carlton Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). Drafted in 2019 by Geelong, Evans also played for Port Adelaide between 2023 and 2024.
Evans did not come through the traditional talent pathway to the AFL, spending most of his junior career playing for Brunswick NOBS in the VAFA. He only played two matches for the NAB League's Calder Cannons; thus Evans' selection as an 18-year-old with pick 41 by the Geelong Football Club in the 2019 AFL draft was a surprise to most draft gurus.[2][3]
AFL career
Geelong
Evans made his AFL debut in round 2, 2021 against Brisbane Lions at GMHBA Stadium.[4] He spent three years on the Geelong list, playing seven senior games, before being delisted after its premiership year.[5]
Port Adelaide
Evans signed for the Port Adelaide Football Club as a delisted free agent, and played 26 games for the club over the next two years, including 17 games as a regular player in 2024. He was delisted by Port Adelaide at the end of the 2024 season.[6]
Carlton
Evans signed to play for the Carlton reserves for the 2025 season,[7] but after impressing in pre-season training was added to the club's rookie list during the supplemental signing period.[8] Evans earned a round one debut for the club, starting his 2025 season against Richmond,[9] in which he scored his first goal for the club.
In the round 19 clash against Melbourne, Evans was knocked out by demons defender Steven May, who was suspended for 3 weeks. He returned in round 21, and played every game for the rest of the year, and kicked 11 goals in those 4 games, including 4 against Gold Coast in round 22, and 3 against Essendon in round 24.
In October 2025 Evans signed a one-year contract extension with Carlton to the end of 2026.[10]
