TENNIS has Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz as the feature of its main event for at least the next decade. Australian football - in particular Port Adelaide - has Jason Horne-Francis and Harley Reid, two No.1 draftees with power, passion and - for contrast - the petulance that will have AFL broadcasters hiring lip readers for the next 10 years.
It is a theme even Horne-Francis can contemplate while he reflects - with a broken foot in the rehab rooms at Alberton - as two emerging AFL stars ponder what brings the best out of their football on match day.
There is no question both JHF and Reid are in better mind frames when skirting “the edge” - and the game, their clubs and their images will thrive from a duel built on a genuine, healthy rivalry.
"I have been out of the lip lately," notes Horne-Francis, the 2021 No. 1 draftee who will be sidelined for much of the next month after foot surgery.
"I have been a bit nice lately ...
"So I found a bit of mongrel out there (at Adelaide Oval against West Coast on Sunday) and see where it took me. It was good. Harley took it up to me ... and that was good. We had hard-fought contests, just as the two sides that like to play it hard."
Horne-Francis' return to "the edge" seems more inspired from within - "from my great mate", vice-captain Zak Butters - than Reid, the 2023 No.1 draftee.
"When we play on the edge like that," adds Horne-Francis, "as long as we don't go over it, we play our best footy."
This "at the edge" theme is endorsed by both senior coaches, Ken Hinkley and Andrew McQualter, knowing the power that comes from having spirited midfield bulls.
The promotional tape for the next Port Adelaide-West Coast game - that surely will not have a 16-month gap again - will inevitably take shape around the moment when Reid lit the wick that burned him.
Reid's one-finger barb - and remarks referring to Horne-Francis' homecoming trade to Port Adelaide after one season at North Melbourne - was answered by the Hornet sting of two goals in red time of the last term to put the game out of West Coast's reach.
The moment will linger ... but not with malice on Horne-Francis' part.
"There will always be trash talk; it is part of the game," says Horne-Francis. "It is always in the spirit of the game. It should be in the game. You want it in the game, it makes it fun. We love it."
What put Reid in the mood to make such a sledge - and provoke his rival to bite back with his football prowess - remains a mystery to Horne-Francis.
"I am not sure to be honest; I don't know," Horne-Francis says.
"But we also needed to bring it on, with our actions too. We had been a bit nice around the ball. They were getting their own way and we needed to put a bit of pressure and bring a bit of energy into the contest.
"I was challenged (by the coaching staff) at quarter-time - the energy was not there. It was good to respond to that challenge and get my game on track. (Zak Butters) also is a good one for coming into the conversation, looking us in the eye and giving a stern talk. Although, Ken gave us a good spray at quarter-time ... and we needed it."
Port Adelaide achieved win No. 8 with the 26-point triumph against last-ranked West Coast at Adelaide Oval on Sunday evening. The start - conceding six goals and a 25-point lead - contradicted all that Port Adelaide has stood for during the past month and wants to be its image for the remainder of the season and beyond.
"The first quarter," says Horne-Francis, "we did not play our brand. We gave West Coast too many turnover metres and they went back at us too quickly. Even though we won the clearance battle (10-8) we were not able to find our shape or to defend behind that (advantage that was repeatedly conceded by the turnovers).
"A lack of effort, a little bit; our defensive work let us down a little bit ... but we did find our way back after quarter-time."
Catch-up football is draining - and not always successful, particularly against more experienced teams than West Coast, such as Hawthorn this weekend at Launceston.
"At this time of the year," notes Horne-Francis, "it is always tough.
"We do have an injury list,” adds Horne-Francis who has joined that significant list at Alberton.
“We have sore bodies and it becomes tougher to get out there every week," added Horne-Francis who was hobbling off Adelaide Oval at half-time after having that broken foot stepped on. "That is what comes with footy - the need to play sore or play with some injury.
"We are still very optimistic about what we can do this year. If we keep playing the right brand of footy, everything will take care of itself."
Port Adelaide - with six games to play in the home-and-away series - is still in the chase for the 14 wins that would claim a finals berth. Hawthorn is fighting to stay in the top eight ... and there is "history" between the two clubs.
"It has turned into a good little rivalry now," said Horne-Francis, now a spectator of the upcoming Port Adelaide-Hawthorn encounter. This billing has worked to Port Adelaide's favour for the past four matches and six of the past seven since 2020.
"I am not sure what has really driven this rivalry. You probably just need to look at previous games to see what has happened (with epic finishes on one- and three-point margins last season).
"This time it is at their other home ground (for the first time since 2019). It is another good challenge for us. We still have to see it as another game even though it is Hawthorn - a talented side - and there is that rivalry there. We have been playing some good footy over the past couple of weeks. If we keep doing that, everything else takes care of itself.
"But there also is the drive to send Kenny (Hinkley) off on a good note. We want to play for him; we want to make him proud of our performances. There is still our pride to play well.
"It is a massive (responsibility to honour Hinkley). He has been such a great servant for our club for a long period. He is a role model as a person and as a coach. We also need to make our fans and our club proud of how we finish the season."
