Scrum-half’s swansong

Press, 2 October 1987, Page 23

Scrum-half’s swansong

Auckland’s scrum-half production line will need to be stoked into action again next autumn because of Gary Freeman’s transfer to the Sydney club, Balmain.

In just two seasons Freeman made an impact on the New Zealand rugby league scene far out of proportion to his size. He was a more than worthy successor to his immediate predecessors, Clayton Friend and Shane Varley.

Injury to Friend enabled Freeman to make four test appearances against Australia and Papua New Guinea last year. Freeman’s thorough competitiveness, sharp acceleration, initiative and uncompromising tackling made him an obvious target for Sydney talent scouts.

St George courted Freeman, but was made aware of the New Zealand Rugby League’s overseas transfer qualifications. Freeman needed another two tests in 1987 to truly become a “free man” in football terms. This he achieved when Friend withdrew from the match against Papua New Guinea at Port Moresby, and when brought on as a replacement in the momentous

defeat of Australia at Lang Park. The Newcastle Knights sought his services. Freeman, however, preferred the established Balmain club. He will simply be swapping one Tigers emblem for another.

Test triumphs and a professional contract were later to be embellished by Northcote’s first Auckland championship success. A suspension of the team captain, Jeff Clarke, who was sent off in the Auckland grand final, gave Freeman yet another challenge — to lead Northcote to victory in the' national Lion Red tournament