By Jonty Ralphsmith
Former Collingwood and St Kilda listed player Nathan Freeman has committed to Dingley for the rest of the season significantly boosting the Dingoes’ chances of a premiership defence.
Freeman was a ball-magnet in his senior debut for his home club on Saturday, with Dingley then learning on Tuesday morning that it would have him for the remainder of the season.
Despite being tagged, Freeman loved his debut – against a strong St Kilda City side which included former AFL stars Dane Swan, Brendan Fevola and Aaron Edwards.
Freeman was a Dingley junior, and has spent time at Souter Oval in recent years despite not playing, with close friends at the club.
Coach Danny Ades said Freeman fitted into the Dingoes’ midfield system immediately, and said the club was rapt to secure his services for the rest of the season.
“It’s obviously a huge boost for the club,” Ades said.
“It might be the shot in the arm, enthusiasm wise, that we need and has added a bit of a spark to the group.
“It’s handy to have a guy who has played at such high levels – it’s just another voice that I can turn to and ask the opinions of.
“He has seen a lot of different structures and played a lot of different footy all around the country so (if I have) any questions, it’s just handy and all the players just lean on him for all that information.
“Something we haven’t had for a long time is bringing someone in with this much experience.”
Having won it in 2019, Dingley is technically the reigning premiers, given the pandemic has prevented a grand final being played in the past two years.
With five rounds to go Dingley sits fifth on the ladder, a game and percentage clear of sixth-placed Springvale.
With clashes against the bottom three sides, among their five remaining games, the Dingoes are in a good position to qualify for finals.
Although he is nursing a torn AC shoulder injury, suffered in a tackle during his time with Adelaide’s SANFL side, Freeman is confident he can play out the season before getting surgery.
The injury did not form part of his decision to step back to local level.
Freeman was in Adelaide earlier this year chasing a list position, having previously spent time on the Gold Coast using the summer to have one last shot at the top league.
Upon returning to Melbourne, he reunited with the Frankston Dolphins, playing two games in 2022 and receiving coaches votes in each game.
Freeman’s final VFL game with Frankston was a 23-point loss to Coburg on Sunday 5 June, where he collected 38 touches – the most of any player on the ground.
He was dropped the following week, and a hamstring injury – one which has plagued him throughout his career – has kept him off the park since.
A decision was then made to have him return via local footy and Freeman is now content to play out the year with Dingley and pursue team success.
Frankston coach Danny Ryan thanked Freeman for his services at the club.
“Nathan’s a much-loved member of the club; he’s been instrumental in changing the culture and giving us credibility and competitiveness over the time he played with us,” Ryan said.
“He’s had a tough year, so if he’s happy to step away, play a bit of local (footy) or have his shoulder fixed, or do what he needs to do, he’s got unwavering support from me and the whole club to do that.”
While Ryan said the club would be happy to welcome Freeman back in 2023, the two-game Saint is not considering that option at this stage.
The seasoned midfielder arrived at Frankston after being delisted by St Kilda at the end of 2018.
He spent three years prior to 2022 with the club, getting close to another AFL contract on several occasions.
But after his short stint with the Crows’ SANFL side, Freeman decided to return to Melbourne for work, conceding his AFL days were over.
The 27-year-old loves his work at Connors Sports Management, working with some of the AFL’s finest current and future talent, including Patrick Dangerfield and Ollie Wines.
“I would have to quit my job, maybe play AFL for another year or two on a rookie wage and then when I finish that, I’d have to go looking for another job,” Freeman said, explaining his decision to give up on returning to the top level.
“I had to make the final call, I’ve got this job, I’m going to do it for the next 30 years and I love it.
“Now I’m settled – I don’t have this thing in the background where I’m thinking ‘if I get drafted, what am I going to do?’
“I was 20-80 to get picked up again (when I left Adelaide).
“Even if I was 100 percent, I still would have had a good think about it and probably not done it anyway…it wouldn’t be worth it.”
While he did not rule out a return to the VFL in the future, it would have to be under the right circumstances.
“If I couldn’t go and win a flag at VFL level, I wouldn’t go back,” Freeman said.
“I wouldn’t go to a club that needs another five years to get up there, I’m sort of past that – I’ve probably only got another three to four years of footy left in me.”
Freeman’s class will be crucial on Saturday for Dingley as it plays ladder-leading Cranbourne at Livingston Reserve from 2pm.
