JONO FREEMAN had never been to the MCG before he travelled to the ground on Saturday to play for the Brisbane Lions against Collingwood.
But the 20-year-old, who grew up on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, certainly wasn't overawed on his first visit to the home of football.
Instead, he thrived on the big stage, booting a game-high four goals as the Lions routed the Magpies by 67 points.
"I couldn't have asked for a better experience," a beaming Freeman told AFL.com.au after just his second game of AFL footy.
"I'd never even been and watched a game at the 'G, so it was my first time experiencing it.
"I grew up watching 'Browny' (Jonathan Brown) play on Grand Final day here, so I've always wanted to do it.
"I got to do it today. It was great to get my hands on the ball, hit the scoreboard and have a great win.
"I'll remember it forever."
Freeman kicked a goal in each quarter of what proved to be a remarkably one-sided contest.
"We made them hurt," he said.
"They lost a few blokes early, but that's not an excuse for them.
"We still had to play good footy, and we did that throughout the whole game.
"We wanted to put the foot on their throat and keep going."
Lions coach Justin Leppitsch was delighted with the way Freeman performed.
"I found that out before the game – he's never actually been to the MCG," Leppitsch said after the match.
"My gosh, who would've thought?
"And he kicked four goals in his very first crack at it, so well done. A really good effort.
"I'm really proud of him, because he's worked hard. It's a difficult year, you're first year in the system, as a kid, as a Queenslander, so he's done well."
A 198cm key forward, Freeman is the first product of the Lions' academy to make it onto the club's senior list.
And he saw the funny side in the fact he starred against Collingwood only a few weeks after the Magpies' president criticised the fact the Queensland and New South Wales clubs are able to recruit a select bunch of talented locals via their academy programs.
"It's quite ironic that I played against the Pies and Eddie McGuire was the one having a go at us," Freeman said.
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