FRANCIS Evans’ cult-like following shows no signs of abating at IKON Park – even moreso now that ‘Frank the Tank’ has confirmed a kindred link with a Carlton footballer of 100 years past.

Francis’ family connection with Carlton can be sourced to his great grandfather’s brother Francis Evans - the Blues’ seven-game player of 1925 with whom the 10-game 2025 model shares the same christian name. What distinguishes the pair are the middle names – “Hope” in the case of the seven-gamer; “Leonardo” in respect of the current player, in recognition of his maternal grandfather and Italian origins.

Born in 1902 and hailing from the New South Wales border city of Albury, Francis Hope Evans was invited to try his luck at Princes Park in 1925 – a pivotal year for the then VFL with the admission of Footscray, Hawthorn and North Melbourne rounding outs its 12-team competition.

1925 would also prove to be a season of upheaval on Royal Parade – a season in which Paddy O’Brien, Ray Brew and Jim Caldwell were all called upon as coaches; and Maurie Beasy, O’Brien and Brew shouldered the load as captains.

Wearing Brodie Kemp’s No.17 on his back, Hope earned senior selection for Carlton, thereby becoming the 410th player to complete his senior debut (Francis is the 1243rd) in the second round match with Essendon at Princes Park.

As with Francis 100 years on, Hope first plied his craft as a forward pocket against the Dons. He was then named in the centre for the Round 3 match with Melbourne on the MCG, and on a back flank at home for the Blues’ historic first contest with Hawthorn in Round 4.

Hope was appropriately enough named in the pivot for the Round 5 contest with the Pivotonians at Corio Oval. He next lined up in a back pocket in the equally historic first-ever encounter with North Melbourne at Princes Park in Round 9, and again for the St Kilda contest at the Junction Oval in Round 10. His seventh and final senior appearance coincided with the return match involving the Mayblooms at Glenferrie Oval for the first time – the Round 15 contest in which the visitors emerged as 28-point victors.

Hope was one of 18 players pictorially featured with the then Carlton captain Ray Brew in the Leader newspaper dated June 27, 1925 - and the facial resemblance between Francis Evans Mark I and II is uncanny.

One hundred years after Hope last laced a boot for the Blues the Evans name is again making headlines, courtesy ‘Frank the Tank’.