After waiting 26-years to make his NRL debut, long-serving NSW Cup player Tom Freebairn ironically came on in the 26th-minute in his NRL debut against the Newcastle Knights.
In a sliding doors moment, the Wests NSW Cup captain replaced 300-gamer James Tamou at the Magpies spiritual home and wasted no time taking his first carry of the ball.
Three tackles in his first defensive set later and it was official: Freebairn was a first grader for the Wests Tigers.
With a large support crew holding photos of him in the stands, Freebairn played the remainder of the game in the middle for the Wests Tigers having 20 carries for 159-metres and making 28-tackles in a typically workmanlike performance reminiscent of his idol Nathan Hindmarsh.
“He sits in the history of this football club forever,” Interim coach Brett Kimmorley said of Freebairn, who was born in Ipswich and came through the Illawarra system before joining the North Sydney Bears.
“It’s a pretty amazing achievement to say you have played in the NRL; it’s pretty special. He [Freebairn] was good for us. Defensively he was good, he moved the ball a bit for us. You are always unhappy about the result but when he gets a chance to reflect he should be happy about his performance.”
Kimmorley praised Freebairn’s “resilience” after moving around to several different clubs before joining the Magpies in 2021 and becoming Wests Tigers player No.260.
The former Australian schoolboy was “excited and relieved” to get the call-up this week after childhood friend Jackson Hastings was ruled out for the season.
Freebairn is the sixth player to debut for the Wests Tigers this season and said he hopes to remain in the top grade after getting his first taste of the big time.
The club’s depth will be tested in the final month of the competition with Ken Maumalo (knee) joining an extensive casualty ward which includes Hastings, Luke Brooks, Shawn Blore, Stefano Utoikamanu, Tommy Talau and Alex Twal to go with the two players (David Nofoaluma and Oliver Gildart) they loaned to other clubs.
“We have some challenges... all I can ask for is whoever gets picked to play is that we prepare well and have a crack,” Kimmorley said.
