Rate a player: Tony Free

[mightytiges]

Tony Free (pic courtesy of Moi)

Guernsey No: 30
D.O.B.: 27th June 1969
Height: 178cm
Weight: 79kg

Games: 133
Goals: 46

Positions: ruck rover, half-back flank, utility
Best return: 39 disposals vs North, R5 1993.
Exceeded 30 disposals six times 1993-94. Averaged: 24 disposals (1993), 22 disp. (1994).
http://stats.rleague.com/afl/stats/players/T/Tony_Free.html

Recruited from: Lalbert
Debut: 1987
Departed RFC: Retired 1996. In R5 1995 vs Brisbane he did his knee (ACL). Managed to return for one game in 1996 but the knee injury would end his AFL career tragically in his prime.

Honours: Club Captain 1994-96; Best & Fairest 1989, 1993; State of Origin - Victoria 1991 (2 games)

[Bulluss]

Tony Free would have retired a true tiger legend if not for injury.

Would have been rated right up there as one of our toughest Captains.

Was a natural leader who just kept going and going. Such a shame to see it all end the way it did.

[Jackstar]

Its was a disgrace the incident with that Hawthorn idiot.

[Moi]

Next to Billy Barrot, Sheeds and Richo, would be my next favourite player.
Tough as for such a small bloke and a great leader.  The Dermott incident ruined his and our chances of playing finals, and probably helped ruin the rest of Tony's career after reinjuring it and then the reco.  A great tagger, always putting his body on the line - very inspirational as a leader.

Despite a reputed psycho on and off the field, I have fond memories of him being my date when i won him at the Banquet Auction.  And just for the record, i left early, reputation in tact lol 

[Jackstar]

There was a good story about him jumping in and out of windows,but as this is a family forum, we will leave that story alone

[WilliamPowell]

Tony Free would have retired a true tiger legend if not for injury.

Would have been rated right up there as one of our toughest Captains.

Was a natural leader who just kept going and going. Such a shame to see it all end the way it did.

 

Couldn't have said it better myself Bull - so I wont even try

[mightytiges]

Freezer was up there with one of my favourite Tigers of all time too Moi.

Losing Freezer not only meant we lost one of our best players in his prime, it really left a huge hole in our midfield which in the following decade we never fixed. We needed his tough no nonsense ballwinning ability and matchday leadership. Add Maxfield going to Sydney and too much of the workload was left to Knights, Cambo who were more classier outside types as well as Brodders.   

[blx]

im sure under brave in the oxford it simply says - tony free   

[one-eyed]

Spiel on Freezer from the RFC site:

Tony was a tough, courageous utility player, who ran straight at the ball and could always be relied on for his total commitment. Originally from Lalbert, he joined the Richmond Thirds in 1987 and worked his way through to the seniors in the same year. In 1987 while playing with the Under 19 side, he kicked a club record for the Thirds of 14 goals in a game against St Kilda. He used the ball well and had the ability to completely shut opponents out of the game by playing close. Towards the end of his career he was given numerous tagging roles because of his mobility and desire. He was a very consistent possession winner who polled very well in the Club Best and Fairest, winning the award in 1989 and 1993 and running second in 1992. He also played two games for Victoria in 1991. His outstanding leadership qualities were recognised when he was elected captain in 1994. Tony had an outstanding 1994 season and looked likely to lead the Tigers into a Finals series, until he was collected by the Swans’ Dermott Brereton. As a result, Tony suffered a broken jaw. Despite sustaining the injury in the second quarter, Tony still played out the game and was one of the Tigers best players such was his commitment. At the time of his injury he was the leading possession winner in the AFL. Bad luck followed him into 1995 when he broke his jaw again during pre-season training and then required a knee reconstruction after injuring himself in Round 5 against Brisbane. He was awarded Life Membership with Richmond in 1996. Tony retired from Richmond in 1996. 

http://richmondfc.com.au/default.asp?pg=players&spg=playerprofile&personid=14867

Freezer also played a game for Prahran when he was coach there in 2001. His first game in 5 years and they won.

[letsgetiton!]

freezer was a gutsy courageous captain, must admit i wish we had a player like him now. the freezer that played 4 us was gr8, but i have spoken to him twice since he retired from injury and i have never spoken to a bigger whinging sook than him. dont know if the 2 days i spoke to him were bad days by poo , never heard anyone at that age be such a sook

[Puntroadroar]

One player who I thought had the ability to lead our club out of the miserable early 90's and instill some real character to our team.

Was devestated that injuries forced his early retirement, he could have been anything and so could have Richmond.

[Tiger Spirit]

One of my all time favourite Richmond players.  As others have said, it was a real blow to lose him when we did, as we really missed his leadership, on and off the field.

Have to say though, I heard him interviewed somewhere a few years ago and was a bit disappointed with his attitude to things.  Kinda expected better from someone who had developed such a reputation as a leader.

[blaisee]

an absolute gun.


Was a natural inspitational leader,

tough and fearless

Was so unlucky with injury.

A much much better footballer than Nathan Bourke od St Kilda.

The reason we didn't go further in 1995

[JohnF]

Freezer was up there with one of my favourite Tigers of all time too Moi.

Losing Freezer not only meant we lost one of our best players in his prime, it really left a huge hole in our midfield which in the following decade we never fixed. We needed his tough no nonsense ballwinning ability and matchday leadership. Add Maxfield going to Sydney and too much of the workload was left to Knights, Cambo who were more classier outside types as well as Brodders.   

Losing Freezer and Lambert in a matter of years really faarrked us over big time.

IMO if we had retained those two guys we would have had a decent shot at winning a flag around 95-97.

We were basically robbed of our only two natural in and under midfielders. Knights and Cambo were more reciever types and it showed up badly whenever we played a big game. They couldn't do the in and under work needed for us in the centre and together with being tagged out of the game it spelled the end of us.  We had no one else that could do the work needed to clear the ball from the centre and we basically got polaxed by teams that had good hard midfields.

On Free, I don't think he would have ended up being a champion if he hadn't got injured but he would have definitely been a great.

Im my view a top 5 player in the last 20 years, together with the likes of Weightman, Campbell, Knights and Richo.

[mightytiges]

Losing Freezer and Lambert in a matter of years really faarrked us over big time.

IMO if we had retained those two guys we would have had a decent shot at winning a flag around 95-97.

Yep. Losing them without receiving anything in return (picks/players), unlike what happened with Hoggy, screwed us big time  .

I had a look last night at a 93 side when Lambert, Freezer, Knighter and Cambo all played together in the one midfield. Check out the skill in the backline . No wonder we only won 4 games that year.

 R11 1993 vs Fitzroy

B.    Barry Young            John Howat            Brian Leys
HB. Bruce Lennon        Paul Bulluss           Duncan Kellaway
C.    Nathan Bower       Matthew Knights     Nick Daffy
HF.  Tony Free               Brendon Gale         Matthew Richardson
F.     Dale Weightman  Jeff Hogg                 Chris Naish
R.    Robert Schaefer    Wayne Campbell   Craig Lambert
I.  Wayne Hernaman  Ian Herman