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.
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.