Serong stars despite decider defeat

Former Warragul local and AFL star Caleb Serong took his talents to the biggest stage of all on Saturday as he played in Fremantle's heartbreaking seven-point grand final defeat to Brisbane.

The Dockers' co-vice captain gave his all in the 12.17 (89) to 14.12 (96) loss, racking up 24 disposals and 13 clearances as well as a fourth-place finish in the Norm Smith Medal with four votes.

His 13 clearances were the most by any player in a grand final since Josh Fraser in 2003 and is the third most in a decider since the stat was first recorded in 1998.

After a hard-fought contest that saw several lead changes, Serong and his teammates appeared destined to become the club's first premiership side when a Patrick Voss goal put the Dockers up by 17 with just over four minutes remaining.

Having activated their now famous crowd alarm 'Wharfie Time' immediately following the goal, Fremantle were left stunned as the Lions booted the final four goals of the game to roar home for their third consecutive flag.

It was devastating scenes for the club post-siren after one of their most successful seasons in their history ended in one of the most heartbreaking grand final losses in VFL/AFL history.

Speaking after the game to Channel Seven, Serong described the loss as "horrific."
"I'd much rather be in the game and in the fight and out here today and feeling these emotions right now, but it's shocking.

"Aside from that last two, three minutes, which we didn't get right, we showed up today and played a Freo brand of footy. We've got to be proud of that."
Serong's midfield teammate Shai Bolton claimed Norm Smith honours with 10 votes.

Serong has enjoyed an industrious career since being drafted to the Dockers in 2019, having earned three All-Australians, three Doig Medals (Fremantle's best and fairest award) and the Rising Star award in 2020.

Should Serong win the Doig Medal a fourth time he will go outright second in the club tally behind only Matthew Pavlich, who won it six times.

Serong and his family (including father Jamie, mother Tania and brothers Jai and Liam), originally lived in Inverloch before moving to Warragul when he was a child, where he played and starred in junior football.