Sydney bid for Kiwi scrum-half rejected

Press, 11 September 1986, Page 42

Sydney bid for Kiwi scrum-half rejected

By

JOHN COFFEY

An attempt by a prominent Sydney club to sign the outstanding young Kiwi scrum-half, Gary Freeman, has been rejected by the New Zealand Rugby League. The club, believed to be St George, was informed that Freeman had not yet qualified for a full clearance under the N.Z.R.L. international transfer regulations. Kiwis are required to appear in six tests or make two tours before they are eligible to pursue professional careers in

Australia or Britain — and even then their adopted clubs are confronted with sizeable transfer fees. Freeman made his debut for Auckland and New Zealand only this year, after Clayton Friend had joined North Sydney and was forced to miss the Trans-Tasman Cup series because of injury. In Friend’s absence, Freeman played in the tests at Sydney and Brisbane, impressing as much as Peter Sterling, the scrum-half rated by the Australians as without

peer at club or international levels. Two more tests in Papua New Guinea followed, and Freeman has only to retain his form, fitness and Kiwi position in the two home matches against France next winter to qualify for an overseas transfer. With Friend expected to be available again, the national selectors should have the option of coupling him with Freeman in the Kiwi halves now that the experienced stand-off Olsen Filipaina, has retired.