Fremantle midfielder Caleb Serong has taken out this year’s Rising Star award after a glittering debut season.
He won the Ron Evans Medal ahead of Gold Coast midfielder Noah Anderson and St Kilda forward Max King.
The Gippsland Power product was taken with pick 8 in the 2019 National Draft and settled in seamlessly under new coach Justin Longmuir, playing 14 of this season’s 17 games.
The 19-year-old averaged 16 touches, two marks and four tackles across the course of the season, with his sublime ball use on show in a midfielder group featuring fellow young guns Andrew Brayshaw and Adam Cerra.
Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir said he was "proud" of the way Serong has handled himself in his debut year.
“He deserves it," he said.
"He’s been a really solid contributor for Fremantle. On the field he’s done a great job with all the challenges we’ve thrown at him, he’s been asked to play on some really good players and done it extremely well while being able to win his fair share of the ball as well. I’m really proud about the way he’s gone about his year."
“It’s his competitiveness and the strengths he brings to the table that gave us the confidence as a coaching group to give him those challenges. He prepared for a challenge really well, did his homework, and was able to execute most of the time. He’s had a really great year and we’re looking forward to seeing so much more from him in the years to come.”
Serong becomes the third Docker to win the award, following Paul Hasleby in 2000 and Rhys Palmer in 2008.
FULL LEADERBOARD:
1st - Caleb Serong (Fremantle) – 48 votes
2nd - Noah Anderson (Gold Coast Suns) – 39 votes
3rd - Max King - (St Kilda) – 28 votes
4th - Izak Rankine (Gold Coast Suns) – 16 votes
5th - Will Day (Hawthorn) – 12 votes