Caleb Serong | |||
---|---|---|---|
Personal information | |||
Full name | Caleb Serong | ||
Date of birth | 9 February 2001 | ||
Original team(s) | Gippsland Power (NAB League)/Geelong Grammar School (APS)/Warragul Colts JFC | ||
Draft | No. 8, 2019 national draft | ||
Debut | Round 4, 2020, Fremantle vs. Gold Coast, at Carrara Stadium | ||
Height | 180 cm (5 ft 11 in) | ||
Weight | 83 kg (183 lb) | ||
Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
Club information | |||
Current club | Fremantle | ||
Number | 3 | ||
Playing career1 | |||
Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
2020– | Fremantle | 103 (30) | |
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2024. | |||
Career highlights | |||
| |||
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com |
Caleb Serong (born 9 February 2001) is an Australian rules footballer and the co vice-captain of the Fremantle Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).
Serong grew up in the Victorian country town of Inverloch before moving to Warragul. From 2013 to 2015 Caleb played for the Warragul Colts JFC he was the U12's best & fairest of 2013 and also helped the U14.5's win the Warragul and District Junior Football League premiership that year. [1] He attended St Paul's Anglican Grammar School [2] and later boarded at Geelong Grammar School on a sports scholarship. [3] He was drafted with the 8th selection in the 2019 AFL draft from Gippsland Power in the NAB League. He made his senior debut for Warragul Football Club at the age of 15. [4] He co-captained the Victoria Country team at the 2019 AFL Under 18 Championships, [5] where he was awarded the team's MVP award [6] and was named in the All-Australian team. [7]
Serong was recruited by Fremantle with pick eight in the 2019 AFL draft and made his debut in the fourth round of the 2020 AFL season at Metricon Stadium against Gold Coast.
In Round 8 of the 2020 AFL season Serong was awarded the Rising Star nomination after being one of Fremantle's best players in their 32 point loss to Geelong, [8] and won the award overall at the season's conclusion. A thrilling Western Derby in round 22 of the 2021 AFL season saw Serong win Goal of the Year after kicking a remarkable off-the-canvas banana from an 'impossible angle' deep within Optus Stadium’s south-east pocket. He was awarded the Glendinning-Allan Medal for best on ground. [9]
The 2022 AFL season saw Serong play 22 out of a possible 24 games, missing Fremantle's Round 3 Western Derby due to a sore knee, [10] as well as their clash against GWS the following week. He was arguably best-afield during Fremantle's round 23 clash against GWS at Manuka Oval in Canberra, collecting a game-high 32 possessions, 11 clearances, eight score involvements and kicking a goal. [11] Serong again had a stand out performance the next week during Fremantle's elimination final against the Western Bulldogs at Optus Stadium, racking up 33 disposals, 10 clearances and a goal. [12] Following the 2022 season Serong was named co vice-captain of Fremantle alongside Andrew Brayshaw. [13]
In round 3 of the 2023 season, Serong won the Glendinning-Allan Medal for best on ground in the Western Derby against the West Coast Eagles with 35 disposals and 9 score involvements, and tallying a perfect 10 coaches votes. [14] Serong collected 37 disposals and was best afield during Fremantle's round 5 game against Gold Coast, which was played at Norwood Oval in Adelaide, due to the AFL's inaugural Gather Round. [15] Serong was among Fremantle's best in round 20, during their 7 point win over Geelong at Kardinia Park, collecting a game-high 29 disposals. [16] He finished the season having played all but one game and won Fremantle's Best and fairest award the Doig Medal. [17] Serong was awarded his first All-Australian selection at the season's end named on the interchange bench of the 2023 All-Australian team. [18] Serong was also the league leader in disposals with 675 across 22 games and an average of 30 disposals a game. [19]
Fremantle's opening match of the 2024 AFL season saw Caleb break the Fremantle Football Club record for most disposals in a single game, tallying 46 disposals against the Brisbane Lions at Optus. [20] He was again one of Fremantle's best players the next round against North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium, collecting 35 disposals and eight clearances. [21] The fourth round saw Fremantle travel east for a two week stint in Adelaide, first facing Carlton in the AFL's annual Gather Round, and Port Adelaide the following week. Serong collected a club record 17 clearances and 37 disposals in round eight during Fremantle's 24 point win over the Western Bulldogs at Optus. [22] Serong won the Glendinning-Allan Medal for best on ground in Western Derby 59 collecting 32 disposals, 10 clearances and kicking a goal. [23] He played his 100th game the next week against the Essendon Bombers at the MCG. He broke the league record for most consecutive games with 20 or more disposals during the match with 71 consecutive games, the record was previously held by Jack Macrae at 70 games. [24] [25] After the 2024 season, Serong was selected once again for a spot of the All Australian team and also won his second Doig Medal, joining fellow Fremantle greats Peter Bell, Matthew Pavlich and Nat Fyfe as back to back winners of the Fremantle Best & Fairest Award.
Caleb's younger brother Jai was drafted by Hawthorn in the 2021 AFL draft. [26]
Updated to the end of round 24, 2024. [27]
G | Goals | K | Kicks | D | Disposals | T | Tackles |
B | Behinds | H | Handballs | M | Marks |
Season | Team | No. | Games | Totals | Averages (per game) | Votes | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G | B | K | H | D | M | T | G | B | K | H | D | M | T | |||||
2020 [lower-alpha 1] | Fremantle | 22 | 14 | 2 | 1 | 127 | 109 | 236 | 32 | 58 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 9.1 | 7.8 | 16.9 | 2.3 | 4.1 | 1 |
2021 | Fremantle | 3 | 22 | 8 | 10 | 279 | 224 | 503 | 64 | 72 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 12.7 | 10.2 | 22.9 | 2.9 | 3.3 | 5 |
2022 | Fremantle | 3 | 22 | 5 | 9 | 272 | 309 | 581 | 57 | 96 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 12.4 | 14.0 | 26.4 | 2.6 | 4.4 | 5 |
2023 | Fremantle | 3 | 22 | 4 | 10 | 337 | 338 | 675 | 72 | 109 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 15.3 | 15.4 | 30.7 | 3.3 | 5.0 | 24 |
2024 | Fremantle | 3 | 23 | 11 | 9 | 315 | 361 | 676 | 66 | 114 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 13.7 | 15.7 | 29.4 | 2.9 | 5.0 | 28 |
Career | 103 | 30 | 39 | 1330 | 1341 | 2671 | 291 | 451 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 12.9 | 13.1 | 26.0 | 2.8 | 4.4 | 63 |
Notes
Individual
The Fremantle Football Club, nicknamed the Dockers, is a professional Australian rules football club competing in the Australian Football League (AFL), the sport's elite competition. The team was founded in 1994 to represent the port city of Fremantle, a stronghold of Australian rules football in Western Australia. The Dockers were the second team from the state to be admitted to the competition, following the West Coast Eagles in 1987. Both Fremantle and the West Coast Eagles are owned by the West Australian Football Commission (WAFC), with a board of directors operating Fremantle on the commission's behalf.
Matthew Lee Pavlich is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Fremantle Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).
The Doig Medal is the best and fairest award given out to the player considered best and fairest during a season for the Fremantle Football Club in the AFL.
Ryan Morgan Crowley is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Fremantle Football Club and the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He played as a midfielder and specialised in a tagging role.
Aaron Wade Sandilands is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Fremantle Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). At 211 cm tall, and with a peak weight of 120 kg (265 lb), he is the second heaviest and equal tallest player to ever play in the AFL.
The Glendinning–Allan Medal, formerly the Ross Glenndinning Medal, is awarded to the player judged best on ground in each Western Derby football match played between Fremantle Football Club and the West Coast Eagles.
Michael Walters is an Australian rules footballer who plays for the Fremantle Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). Originally playing mainly as a small forward, Walters has recently spent more time in the midfield. In 2019 he was rewarded with his debut selection in the All-Australian team.
Nathan Fyfe is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Fremantle Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). Fyfe is a dual Brownlow Medallist, dual Leigh Matthews Trophy recipient, three-time All-Australian and three-time Doig Medallist. He received a nomination for the 2010 AFL Rising Star award in round 9 of the 2010 season. Fyfe served as Fremantle captain from 2017 to 2022.
Michael Barlow is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Fremantle Football Club and Gold Coast Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).
James Aish is an Australian rules footballer who plays for the Fremantle Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He previously played for the Brisbane Lions from 2014 to 2015, and Collingwood from 2016 to 2019.
The 2014 Fremantle Football Club season is the club's 20th season of senior competition in the Australian Football League (AFL).
Sean Darcy is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Fremantle Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). At 203 centimetres tall and weighing 110 kilograms (240 lb), Darcy competes in the ruck as well as the forward line.
Luke Ryan is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Fremantle Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). A versatile player Ryan is a Doig Medalist as well as a dual All-Australian.
Andrew Brayshaw is a professional Australian rules footballer and the co vice-captain of the Fremantle Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).
Sam Switkowski is an Australian rules footballer who plays for the Fremantle Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).
Lachlan Schultz is a professional Australian rules footballer who plays for the Collingwood Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He previously played for the Fremantle Football Club from 2019–2023.
Jordan Clark is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Fremantle Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL), having been initially drafted to the Geelong Football Club.
Hayden Young is an Australian rules footballer who plays for the Fremantle Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).
Luke Jackson is an Australian rules footballer who plays for the Fremantle Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL), having previously played for the Melbourne Football Club.
Heath Chapman is an Australian rules football player who plays for the Fremantle Dockers in the Australian Football League (AFL).