Latest news with #Serong
Perth Now
3 days ago
- Sport
- Perth Now
WATCH: Superman Serong takes brilliant flying mark
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's Caleb Serong. The Fremantle star has taken a brilliant flying mark, challenging Superman as he got completely horizontal in the air during the club's clash with Gold Coast. The gun midfielder took a slips-like catch inside 50 for the Dockers, but missed the following set shot, on the eve of the first quarter at People First Stadium on Saturday. WATCH THE MARK IN THE VIDEO PLAYER ABOVE As young teammate Matthew Johnson danced onto his right foot and put the ball into space, Serong soared to take a potential Mark of the Year contender. The grab was even more impressive given the conditions on the Gold Coast, with heavy rainfall making the ball extremely slippery and the terrain just as tricky for the Dockers and Suns. Despite Serong's kick missing to the left, the Dockers took a strong 20-point lead into the first break.
West Australian
3 days ago
- Sport
- West Australian
Fremantle Dockers Caleb Serong takes Mark of the Year contender with horizontal grab against Gold Coast
Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's Caleb Serong. The Fremantle star has taken a brilliant flying mark, challenging Superman as he got completely horizontal in the air during the club's clash with Gold Coast. The gun midfielder took a slips-like catch inside 50 for the Dockers, but missed the following set shot, on the eve of the first quarter at People First Stadium on Saturday. WATCH THE MARK IN THE VIDEO PLAYER ABOVE As young teammate Matthew Johnson danced onto his right foot and put the ball into space, Serong soared to take a potential Mark of the Year contender. The grab was even more impressive given the conditions on the Gold Coast, with heavy rainfall making the ball extremely slippery and the terrain just as tricky for the Dockers and Suns. Despite Serong's kick missing to the left, the Dockers took a strong 20-point lead into the first break.
Perth Now
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
Fringe Docker given OUTRAGEOUS new video game rating
Fremantle stars Caleb Serong and Andrew Brayshaw are among the highest-rated players in the latest edition of the AFL's official video game. But it's the rating of Dockers forward Bailey Banfield — who has battled to break into their side this year — that has caught the eye. Serong is the top-rated West Australian-based player in the game, which was released on Thursday, with 92, while his Dockers midfield mate Brayshaw is alongside a host of the game's stars on 91. SEE EVERY DOCKERS AND EAGLES' RATING IN THE NEW GAME AT Players are given a rating out of 100, which relates to their strength in the game. West Coast veterans Jeremy McGovern and Elliot Yeo are both 87-rated players, while Tim Kelly has been given an 86 rating and Jake Waterman 83. Second-year jet Harley Reid is rated 82. But of all the WA-based players, the most surprising rating belongs to Banfield, who is on the outer at Fremantle. The forward has been sensationally rated 87, the same as the two top Eagles and more than a host of gun teammates including high-priced recruit Shai Bolton. He shares that level with Sam Switkowski, Sean Darcy and two-time All Australian Luke Ryan. And the lowest-rated Docker is small forward Isaiah Dudley, who made his debut earlier this season and has become an important part of Justin Longmuir's side already this season. Serong, Brayshaw, Hayden Young, Jordan Clark, Luke Jackson and Josh Treacy are the only Fremantle players ranked higher. The lowest-ranked Eagle is draftee Lucca Greggo, who has impressed in the early rounds of the WAFL season. WA and Carlton's two-time Brownlow medallist Patrick Cripps is the game's top-rated player with 94, ahead of Collingwood's Nick Daicos on 93 and Tom Green, Marcus Bontempelli and Serong on 92.
West Australian
05-05-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
Fremantle Dockers star Caleb Serong throws support behind coach Justin Longmuir with text message
Fremantle vice-captain Caleb Serong texted coach Justin Longmuir on Sunday to assure him that he strongly believes in the game plan and is confident he is the right man to lead the team. It comes as pressure mounts on the Longmuir ahead of Thursday night's clash with Collingwood and in the wake of a horror defeat to St Kilda. The Dockers lost by 61 points at Marvel Stadium and that defeat followed a thrashing from Geelong in round one and a loss to Melbourne two weeks ago. Longmuir is in his sixth season as Fremantle's coach but the team has played finals only once. There were high expectation for the club this season yet the Dockers are 4-4 and in ninth place on the ladder. Recognising the pressure his coach was under, Serong revealed he reached out to Longmuir to show his support ahead of a crucial week for the club. 'He's got my full belief that he's the right man. I texted him yesterday and just made sure he knew I've got full belief in the game plan and him as a coach and that I love playing for him,' he said. 'It's on us to respond and make sure we are the ones going out there and playing that game plan that he is setting up for us. It's a winning game plan in my opinion. We just haven't played it consistently enough so that's on us. 'I just know he would have been copping a bit of heat over the last couple of days. I just wanted him to know he's got my full backing as a leader and I've got no doubt that is a reflection of the whole playing group. 'In my opinion, he's got all of our backing so I wanted him to make sure he was ready to go today and coming in with full belief in himself and where he's going because he's got our full belief.' Serong revealed a Saturday morning meeting before the team left Melbourne identified too many players weren't thinking about the team. He said it was obvious that needed to change. And an honest Serong admitted that too many players had failed to buy into what was expected and a lot of players were focused on themselves. 'At the moment there's probably been not 100 per cent buy in from across the board and I think that's not allowing us to bring that talent out and, as a group, not allowing us to get the results we are after,' he said. 'I think the roles and the dedication to the game plan and the team will allow the talent to come out more because we will be more predictable to each other and we'll know what we're after from each individual and the group as well.' Three of Fremantle's four defeats this season have come in Victoria. They have won just one game away from home, against lowly-ranked Richmond at Gather Round. Serong the playing group are reviewing their preparation for away games and declared they have to get to the bottom of what is going wrong on the road. 'We need to fix it,' he said. 'The reality is we haven't changed anything with our travel schedule, routine and over the last couple of years our travel results have actually been alright, we've travelled pretty well. This year, definitely not. 'That's no beating around the bush. We have to figure out what is going on, whether that's individuals working on their own prep, whether that's team little things we can do, whether that's during the week in the lead-up to the travel. 'I'm not sure what it is, but the reality is we haven't changed anything and it has worked in the past this routine, so we are analysing everything. We are looking at it all from a player leadership point of view, from a playing group point of view, holistic leadership point of view, we are digging deep into it because we need to be better on the road. 'It's not just losing games, it's the way we're performing.'
West Australian
02-05-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
Fremantle Dockers belted by St Kilda and called disgraceful and embarrassing by Brownlow winner Gerard Healy
Fremantle have been described as disgraceful, horrendous and embarrassing after another shocking performance away from home and a 61-point loss to St Kilda at Marvel Stadium. The Dockers have made plenty of promises to each other this season after failing to perform against both Geelong and Melbourne but those words counted for nothing against the Saints as they lost 14.10 (94) to 5.3 (33). Fremantle produced their equal 10th lowest score ever and were belted all over the ground. The Saints destroyed them in the midfield, winning the clearances 50-22 and contested possessions 151-103. They refused to let the Dockers get the ball forward, restricting them to 34 inside 50s while having 61 of their own. Brownlow medallist Gerard Healy said the Dockers had been 'embarrassing' and 'horrendous.' 'It's a disgraceful performance and they've been humbled.' Healy said on SEN's commentary. 'I don't think I've ever seen Fremantle play a worse game than this. It's unbelievable.' Star pair Andrew Brayshaw and Caleb Serong couldn't get their hands on the ball and Hayden Young suffered a hamstring injury during the first half. Brayshaw had 18 disposals and Serong managed just 15 - his lowest tally since his debut season. The Dockers lacked the intensity that received wide acclaim against Adelaide last week and the backline was under constant pressure from a St Kilda line-up that had been under pressure all week. Fresh from being subbed out in the second term last week, Saints coach Ross Lyon teamed Hugo Garcia up with his captain Jack Steele to lock down on both Brayshaw and Serong. Brayshaw had only four touches and no clearances in the first term while Serong managed just two possessions. Only a strong marking performance from Fremantle's key defenders stopped the Saints from opening up a big quarter time lead. The Saints managed only two goals from their 16 inside 50s. It could have been a lot worse but the Dockers trailed by just eight points at the first change. St Kilda dominated the second quarter and it was clear the Dockers weren't concentrating. Sam Switkowski failed to attack a ball in the middle of the ground and the Saints surged forward for a goal to Mitch Owens just two minutes into the term. Then they allowed Darcy Wilson to take a mark inside 50 and he nailed another major. When Young got lost coming onto the ground and went to the centre square instead of forward 50, the Dockers received a 6-6-6 warning and it summed up how distracted Fremantle looked. It took them nearly nine minutes to get the ball inside 50 and even that kick was marked uncontested by Cooper Sharman. Moments later, Matt Johnson double fisted a spoil out of bounds when he could have taken the mark and then Shai Bolton didn't spot Garcia behind him and kept running, costing himself a shot for goal. The Dockers finally found some energy midway through the term but got no rewards because Michael Frederick missed the set shot. When Young then injured his hamstring and was subbed out of the game, the signs looked ominous. Fremantle failed to score a goal in the second term and went to half-time with just seven points on the board – their lowest tally under coach Justin Longmuir since COVID matches were played with reduced game time. All of the numbers around the game were just as ugly. They trailed the clearances 28-11. The were 6-1 down in centre cleraances. It was 82-59 for contested possessions. Serong had only seven touches. Bolton had five, Brayshaw had 10. They were miles off. Corey Wagner had 12 of the team's 52 tackles. There were too many players who simply weren't contributing. Yet somehow they were only 20 points down. That lead opened up to 26 points when Sharman kicked the first goal of the third quarter. Fremantle's drought finally ended nine minutes into the term when Isaiah Dudley kicked a goal but St Kilda quickly answered and Longmuir made the rare move to come down to the bench. But he couldn't fix the problems. Fremantle simply couldn't score and St Kilda seized their chances at the other end. When Sharman kicked his third goal for the third term with a freakish snap from the forward pocket, the Saints led by 38 points and the only question was how big the defeat would be. Fremantle managed only five inside 50s for the third term. It was horrid. The Dockers trailed by 45 points when Mitch Owens kicked the first goal of the last quarter. Surely it couldn't continue. Jye Amiss finally kicked a goal moments later but when Bolton got another opportunity, he sprayed the shot. Sharman didn't waste his chance to boot his fourth though. Fremantle started looking anywhere for a lift. At the next centre bounce, Josh Draper rucked with Luke Jackson, Murphy Reid and Matt Johnson as his midfielders. That desperate move summed up the night and it kept getting worse.
