Toast Welcome to Freo Caleb Serong– Fremantle’s 2nd 2019 National Draft Pick [Pick #8]

[Alfonz]

Honestly Rankine's "heroics" last night should put Serong firmly in the lead.

Dude tried to play hero ball and cost his team a win.

And dont get me wrong, Rankine is likely going to be a better version of Aker if he stays on the park, he's a star but Serong has been the better player this year. We all know ***kin for Rankine will get him over the line though

Akermanis was an absolute superstar and the best foot skills I have ever seen. Rankine has a VERY long way to go to get near Akermanis, let alone better.

Agree with everything else. Though I'm not sure I really want Serong to win the award. It's kind of meaningless in the scheme of things, and I'd rather our players just fly underneath the radar.

 

[Dockeroo]

Honestly think if Young stayed fit he would be up there with Serong. Was outstanding in some of his games before he got injured.

 

[Purple Jesus]

Honestly think if Young stayed fit he would be up there with Serong. Was outstanding in some of his games before he got injured.

Still eligible next year

 

[Purple Suit]

Akermanis was an absolute superstar and the best foot skills I have ever seen. Rankine has a VERY long way to go to get near Akermanis, let alone better.

Agree with everything else. Though I'm not sure I really want Serong to win the award. It's kind of meaningless in the scheme of things, and I'd rather our players just fly underneath the radar.

Nah, I still want him to win it. Recon he’s going to be like Haze rather than Palmer.

 

[mightymouse75]

Nah, I still want him to win it. Recon he’s going to be like Haze rather than Palmer.

Yeek.. Palmer

 

[LemmingMaster]

I was super excited to see Young and Henry for the Dockers, they were two favourites of mine, but Serong is certainly proving my thoughts wrong.
I was concerned with his decision making on the inside, but he has taken his inside game to another level.

Great option.

 

[Wally Walpamur]

I hope Henry comes into the seniors and lights up the AFL. If Ryan’s endorsement as playing like Cyril is anything to go by, we’re in for quiet the show for the next 10 years.

 

[SHill Shall]

I was super excited to see Young and Henry for the Dockers, they were two favourites of mine, but Serong is certainly proving my thoughts wrong.
I was concerned with his decision making on the inside, but he has taken his inside game to another level.

Great option.

I’d say it’s more likely that your concern ‘with his decision making on the inside‘ was misguided. He’s a natural inside beast and has been all through his junior career.

 

[FreoMonocle]

Andy and Cerra are only really getting competitive against the blokes this year, they were outclassed in body (not in mind) for the previous 2 years. Serong however, isn't intimidated by all the hard bodied men he's up against and his body seems up to the contest.

I remember back in my teens, me and my weedy mates (cough cough) errr... I meant, skinny without our shoulders yet filled out... Mixing it with them down at the beach or at the pub etc blokes in their 20s were huge and tough as nails by comparison and not to be messed with unless you had a death wish. Arm wrestles or whatever were measured in microseconds, even those of us who were working as labourers had no chance. The advantage we had, was if we were sober enough we could run away faster than they could chase (years of chain smoking vs our relatively innocent lungs).

I'm usually all in favour of the 18/19 year olds all playing in the magoos to give their bodies some time to develop some meat and bone, but I don't mind Serong out there at the top tier going mano a mano.

 

[DeanS]

Still eligible next year

I thought you couldn’t be nominated 2 years in a row, even if you satisfy the age and games played criteria.

 

[Purple Jesus]

I thought you couldn’t be nominated 2 years in a row, even if you satisfy the age and games played criteria.

Can be nominated once per season, if they meet the criteria at the start of the season.

 

[Purple Suit]

I thought you couldn’t be nominated 2 years in a row, even if you satisfy the age and games played criteria.

Young never got nominated, injured before he got the chance. As long as he plays under 10 games this year he’s good for next year.

 

[Purple Jesus]

Young never got nominated, injured before he got the chance. As long as he plays under 10 games this year he’s good for next year.

Even if he had, he's still eligible.

 

[Scham]

I thought you couldn’t be nominated 2 years in a row, even if you satisfy the age and games played criteria.

That actually makes sense.

 

[Taylor]

There have been eleven players nominated in two seasons for the rising star award

 

[LemmingMaster]

I’d say it’s more likely that your concern ‘with his decision making on the inside‘ was misguided. He’s a natural inside beast and has been all through his junior career.

I was never concerned about his inside ability, it was his decision making from the contest. I did watch a lot of him as a junior, that was my main concern.
It does not seem to be an issue with his transition to AFL. Maybe it was misguided in hindsight, but I thought it was appropriate at the time from my viewing.

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

I was never concerned about his inside ability, it was his decision making from the contest. I did watch a lot of him as a junior, that was my main concern.
It does not seem to be an issue with his transition to AFL. Maybe it was misguided in hindsight, but I thought it was appropriate at the time from my viewing.

To be fair to you, you see it every now and then where he hacks it out of the pack and doesnt need to. His decision making in congestion isnt PERFECT yet (yes I understand its been like 6 games but its something he can get better at still). It seems to be something he has consciously worked on.

 

[LemmingMaster]

To be fair to you, you see it every now and then where he hacks it out of the pack and doesnt need to. His decision making in congestion isnt PERFECT yet (yes I understand its been like 6 games but its something he can get better at still). It seems to be something he has consciously worked on.

Judd was not perfect but became a great inside player. Dangerfield... That is where guys like Ablett and Martin are next level, their footskills are amazing on the outside and still have great inside ability.

I am slowly attempting to learn to judge the decision making of inside midfielders differently to a player like Gaff.

 

[SHill Shall]

To be fair to you, you see it every now and then where he hacks it out of the pack and doesnt need to. His decision making in congestion isnt PERFECT yet (yes I understand its been like 6 games but its something he can get better at still). It seems to be something he has consciously worked on.

I've been staggered as to how good his decision making in tight is. There will always be the odd occasion where an inside mid needs to throw it on the boot or hack it out - what makes Serong so good is that he is incredibly clean with his hands and makes lightning quick decisions to dispose to someone in a better position. And then he gets it there!

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

I've been staggered as to how good his decision making in tight is. There will always be the odd occasion where an inside mid needs to throw it on the boot or hack it out - what makes Serong so good is that he is incredibly clean with his hands and makes lightning quick decisions to dispose to someone in a better position. And then he gets it there!

I agree, his decision making is terrific for a 6 game player and I'm probably just being picky since I dont really see any other deficiencies in his game but I've noticed a couple of times where he made a rushed decision he didnt need to. This is probably realising how good he is as much anything and that he has more time than he realised

 

[yyou]

Akermanis was an absolute superstar and the best foot skills I have ever seen. Rankine has a VERY long way to go to get near Akermanis, let alone better.

Agree with everything else. Though I'm not sure I really want Serong to win the award. It's kind of meaningless in the scheme of things, and I'd rather our players just fly underneath the radar.

I do want Serong to win it because there is a monetary reward for the kid.
I don't care how he is rated over here. Look at how the Vic media have (apart from his 300th game) overlooked David Mundy as a superstar, which he has been for a number of years.

 

[gungho]

Pretty interesting going through the drafting notes of this kid last year. Most experts had him as a forward pocket type (one even put him down as a replacement to Ballas). In hindsight the 2018 draft is looking pretty good. Shultz and Bewley are currently in the 22 and are better players than we thought, Sturt will be very good if uninjured and the jury is out on Valente at this stage.
In fact, all of our drafting has been bloody exceptional since 2016.

 

[FreoMonocle]

I've noticed a couple of times where he made a rushed decision he didnt need to. This is probably realising how good he is as much anything and that he has more time than he realised

I don't mind this so much, it can be fixed. It's in contrast to most first year players.

Junior players are used to the pace of junior leagues and routinely overestimate how much time they have before an opponent shuts them down. Also, they shone so much brighter than those around them and now they face an entire team of players that are as good as them.

The big unknown in drafting is how much the recruits are capable of speeding up decision making, their skills are ordinary if they can't. That doesn't seem to be a problem with Serong.

 

[MadMundy]

Caleb is going to eat up Cripps with ease.

 

[showemhowtorock]

I wonder whose shoulder he'll break with his abs this week?