Glenn Freeborn

Glenn Freeborn (born 6 February 1973) is a former Australian rules footballer for both North Melbourne (1995–1998) and Collingwood (1999–2003) in the Australian Football League (AFL). Originally drafted by Melbourne, Freeborn was delisted without playing a game. A durable utility, Freeborn is best known for his three goals in the Kangaroos' 1996 premiership triumph over Sydney. Many onlookers believe that Freeborn's three second term goals swung the game North Melbourne's way.

Glenn Freeborn
Personal information
Date of birth	(1973-02-06) 6 February 1973
Original team(s)	Woodville-West Torrens (SANFL)
Debut	Round 5, 30 April 1995, North Melbourne vs. Carlton, at the MCG
Playing career1
Years	Club	Games (Goals)
1995–1998	North Melbourne	055 (27)
1999–2003	Collingwood	083 (42)
Total		138 (69)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2003.
Career highlights
North Melbourne premiership player 1996
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Upon reaching the Magpies at the end of 1998, Freeborn slotted in perfectly, playing the role of the sweeper across halfback, and was quite successful despite the team's lack of success. After a patchy 2000, Freeborn hit back over the following two seasons, missing only two matches as his side rose up the ladder and into the finals in 2002, whereupon the club then found their way into their first Grand Final since their famed victory in 1990.

In the match in the wet against Brisbane, Freeborn was outstanding off halfback and through the midfield, and again reaffirmed himself as one of the players the club would rely on for a cool head under pressure.

Surprisingly, Freeborn found it difficult to crack it for a regular place in the Magpies' 2003 line up, tipped out despite some reasonable early season form by the youth of Richard Cole, Rhyce Shaw and Matthew Lokan. Many believed that despite playing only three matches for the season, the club would have been well served had they opted to select the experience of Freeborn during the finals series, which ended with a crushing defeat by the Lions in the grand final.

Following his role in Williamstown's Victorian Football League premiership over Box Hill in 2003, Freeborn retired from football.

Statistics

Season	Team	No.	Games	Totals							Averages (per game)
				G	B	K	H	D	M	T	G	B	K	H	D	M	T
1995	North Melbourne	17	9	4	5	51	47	98	15	14	0.4	0.6	5.7	5.2	10.9	1.7	1.6
1996†	North Melbourne	17	19	13	14	129	92	221	35	31	0.7	0.7	6.8	4.8	11.6	1.8	1.6
1997	North Melbourne	17	18	5	8	92	64	156	15	28	0.3	0.4	5.1	3.6	8.7	0.8	1.6
1998	North Melbourne	17	9	5	1	38	37	75	13	13	0.6	0.1	4.2	4.1	8.3	1.4	1.4
1999	Collingwood	9	22	16	13	192	116	308	60	33	0.7	0.6	8.7	5.3	14.0	2.7	1.5
2000	Collingwood	9	13	11	6	115	81	196	53	15	0.8	0.5	8.8	6.2	15.1	4.1	1.2
2001	Collingwood	9	22	6	3	188	152	340	99	34	0.3	0.1	8.5	6.9	15.5	4.5	1.5
2002	Collingwood	9	23	8	7	163	157	320	69	54	0.3	0.3	7.1	6.8	13.9	3.0	2.3
2003	Collingwood	9	3	1	1	16	18	34	9	7	0.3	0.3	5.3	6.0	11.3	3.0	2.3
Career			138	69	58	984	764	1748	368	229	0.5	0.4	7.1	5.5	12.7	2.7	1.7

External links

• Demon Wiki profile Archived 25 July 2015 at the Wayback Machine