Gary Freeman (rugby league)

Gary Ross FreemanMNZM(born 4 December 1962)is a New Zealand former professionalrugby leaguefootballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s, andcoachedin the 2000s, who both captained and coached theNew Zealand national team.He was arguably one of New Zealand's greatest Test halfbacks and at the time of his retirement he was the most-capped New Zealand test player and also held the record for most consecutive tests for New Zealand with 37.

Gary Freeman MNZM
Freeman in 2008
Born	Gary Ross Freeman (1962-12-04)4 December 1962 Auckland,New Zealand
Rugby league career
Playing information
Height	175 cm (5 ft 9 in)
Weight	83 kg (13 st 1 lb)
Position	Halfback
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 1981–87 Northcote Tigers 1983 Kent Invicta 9 2 0 0 8 1983–84 Castleford Tigers 17 4 0 0 16 1988–91 Balmain Tigers 51 19 0 0 76 1992–93 Eastern Suburbs 35 11 0 0 44 1994–95 Penrith Panthers 44 21 0 0 84 1996 Parramatta Eels 21 2 0 0 8 Total 177 59 0 0 236 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 19??–87 Auckland 1986–95 New Zealand 45 10 0 0 40
Coaching information
Representative Years Team Gms W D L W% 2001–02 New Zealand 3 1 0 2 33
Source:

Freeman played his club football in New Zealand for Auckland'sNorthcoteclub, in the UK for England'sKent InvictaandCastlefordclubs, and in Australia for Sydney'sBalmain(with whom he reached the 1988 and 1989Grand Finals),Eastern Suburbs(with whom he won the 1992Dally M Medal),PenrithandParramattaclubs.

Biography

Freeman was born inAuckland,New Zealand, on 4 December 1962. He playedrugby leagueas aBay Roskill Vikingsjunior.

Playing career

1980s

In 1982, Freeman was graded by theNorthcote Tigersas a nineteen-year-old in theAuckland Rugby Leaguecompetitionand played there for most of the 1980s, gaining representative selection for theAuckland rugby league team.He also played in England forKent Invictaat the start of the1983-84 season.Freeman also spent a season playing for English clubCastleford.He was selected to go on the1986 New Zealand rugby league tour of Australia and Papua New Guineaand made his debut for the Kiwis at halfback in the second Test againstAustralia.He was retained for the third Test against Australia and for both Tests againstPapua New Guinea.

Freeman moved to Australia to play for Sydney clubBalmain Tigersin the1988 NSWRL season.During the mid-season1988 Great Britain Lions tour,Freeman played from the bench for New Zealand in the sole Test match in Christchurch, scoring two tries that helped the Kiwis to a victory that booked their place in the final of the1985–1988 Rugby League World Cup.Before that, however, Freeman was selected to play at halfback for the Balmain Tigers in the 1988 NSWRL Grand Final. He played for New Zealand in the halves at the1988 World Cup finalwhich was lost to Australia.

Freeman played in all three Tests of the1989 Kangaroo tour of New Zealand.Later that year, he made it two consecutive Grand Finals when he again played at halfback for Balmain in the1989 NSWRL season's Premiership decider.

1990s

In all three Tests of the1990 Great Britain Lions tour,Freeman was selected to play at halfback for the Kiwis. He was selected to captain New Zealand at halfback for the1991 Trans-Tasman Test seriesin Australia. Freeman commenced playing forEastern Suburbs Roostersfor the1992 NSWRL season.During the1992 Great Britain Lions tour of Australasia,Freeman captained New Zealand from halfback in both Test matches, being named man-of-the-match in the first and scoring a try in thesecond. At the end of the1992 NSWRL season,Freeman was awarded theDally M Medalas the competition's player of the year for his performance as Eastern Suburbs' halfback.

Nicknamed "Whiz",Freeman was selected to captain the Kiwis from halfback for the1993 Trans-Tasman Test seriesagainst Australia. He then captained the Kiwis from halfback for the1993 New Zealand rugby league tour of Great Britain and France. For the1994 NSWRL season,Freeman transferred to thePenrith Panthers.For the first game of the1995 Trans-Tasman Test series,Freeman was replaced as captain of the New Zealand national team byJohn Lomax,but regained the position for the remaining two games. At the end of that year, he travelled with the Kiwis to the UK for the1995 World Cup,playing his 45th and final international athookeragainstPapua New Guinea.

Freeman began the1996 ARL seasonas captain of his new club, theParramatta Eels.Freeman retired from playing at the end of this season, with the Eels' captaincy being transferred to fellow KiwiJarrod McCracken.

Post-playing

On 31 December 1996, Freeman was included in the1997 New Year Honours,being appointed aMember of the New Zealand Order of Merit,for services to rugby league.He later became a rugby league commentator. At the end of the1997 Super League season,Freeman provided commentary for the Grand Final. He did the same for the1998 Anzac Test.

Coaching career

At the close of the2000 World Cup,in which New Zealand lost the tournament final to Australia, Freeman was selected to replaceFrank Endacottas Kiwis coach. Under Freeman in 2001, New Zealand played a one-off Test match against France and defeated them 36–0 at Ericsson Stadium. The Kiwis then played Australia at the new Westpac Stadium in Wellington and lost 28–10.

Freeman was also coach for the2002 New Zealand rugby league tour of Great Britain and France,although it was to be his last in charge of the national team. In 2003,Daniel Andersonwas named as the new Kiwis coach. Freeman later became coach of the New South Wales "Young Achievers" team.

Later years

In 2007, Freeman was inducted as one of theNZRL's Legends of League.He is also anAuckland Rugby LeagueImmortal.Freeman further worked as the co-host ofFox Sports' NRL coverage and panel member ofNRL on FOXuntil 2011.