Football
3 October, 2024
Freijah wins best first year player at Western Bulldogs
Former GWV Rebels star wins Joel Freijah win major Bulldogs award
Former Greater Western Victoria Rebels player Joel Freijah has ended his impressive debut season with the Western Bulldogs with being named the club's best first year player at the Charles Sutton Medal night on Wednesday.
Freijah won the prestigious Chris Grant award, named after one of Daylesford's favourite sons, in a night that was dominated by skipper Marcus Bontempelli, who won his sixth best-and-fairest award.
Freijah, who played of his junior football with the Horsham Saints, was taken at pick 45 in the 2023 AFL Draft. He played 13 games in his debut year, kicking one goal and cementing his place in the star-studded team as a reliable defender and run-with player.
He was a member of the Bulldogs one-and-only finals match, a loss to Hawthorn in the elimination final.
Speaking with ACM during the season, Freijah said he was loving every minute of being part of the kennel.
"I really love Horsham and my time there," he said.
"Melbourne has a lot of opportunities and I really like the lifestyle down here.
"I've got a few mates who are at university in Melbourne who I catch up with regularly, and the food's awesome.
"The club's been really supportive and welcoming. With the step-up, there's been challenges, obviously, in the increase in training, load and intensity and things like that.
"But the club's been really supportive and I'm really grateful for what they've done since I've made the transition."
It was a baptism of fire for Freijah in his first game, when he lined-up opposed to Richmond legend Dustin Martin.
"I started the year off in the VFL and then through some form got my opportunity," he said.
"Then lining up on Dusty Martin, who is obviously an incredible player and person to the game, that was pretty special."
He said he would always have a soft spot for the GWV Rebels program and the opportunities they presented him.
"The Rebels program means a lot to me," he said. "I still resonate with it most days and think back to some really special times with them.
"Great friendships were formed there and it's a really special program with some amazing people that run it."