Regarded as one of Australia’s finest centre court players, Julie Francou was first selected in the national squad at 18 and overcame monumental physical and mental barriers to recover from two knee reconstructions and still have a successful international career.
“She is unfussable and has superb ballhandling skills, especially into the circle. She is fragile in frame, built like bone china, however everything about her is strong and determined.”
Joyce Brown is a revered name in netball. That is what the newly appointed national coach said about her captain, Julie Francou, prior to the 1983 world tournament in Singapore.
At the time, Francou had returned to the top after an extensive knee reconstruction. Australia was undefeated in this series and recaptured the world crown.
She was the one the coach went to at a time of greatest need, someone ‘unfussable’ but dependable time and time again.
Regarded as one of Australia’s finest centre court players, Julie Francou was first selected in the national squad as an 18-year-old and overcame monumental physical and mental barriers to recover from two knee reconstructions and still have a successful international career.
Francou captained Australia to victory at the 1983 Netball World Cup and never lost a Test as captain. Given her role at centre, her game was based on the highest level of fitness – driving, feeding, fine touch, and great court craft by being the essential link player on-court.
Francou captained Australia to victory at the 1983 Netball World Cup and never lost a Test as captain. Given her role at centre, her game was based on the highest level of fitness – driving, feeding, fine touch, and great court craft by being the essential link player on-court.
She is the sister to the SANFL’s most legendary player, and AFL Hall of Famer and Legend, Barrie Robran.
Born and raised in Whyalla, SA, she played for SA for 10 years and was unerring in her attention to conditioning and rehab.
It was her conditioning influence in the early days of Michelle den Dekker’s youthful career, that helped it burgeon into one of the nation’s greatest playing careers.
In 2011 she was inducted into the Netball Australia Hall of Fame and in 2012, unsurprisingly, she was included in the Netball SA Team of the Century.
Four years later, she was inducted into the SA Sports Hall of Fame.
After retiring, Francou was a national selector in the 1990s and coached Garville, the SA state team, and also the Adelaide Ravens in the 1997 inaugural season of the Commonwealth Bank Trophy.
