Put this together on him last year, I was huge fan.
Hawthorn are over the moon to get Caleb Serong.
I’m genuinely surprised that Serong got to the Hawks pick. And according to the latest pundits, it’s a real possibility that Serong after being talked about as a top 5 pick all year, could get to 10 in the real thing. Now, this happens every year.
After the actual playing of games, after all the testing, no one likes the obvious. Everyone is looking for the “edge”, the less obvious pick, the one that will make everyone look smarter than the next guy. This year, Caleb Serong is getting that treatment. His body of work over this year gives no reason why he shouldn’t be a top 5 pick. The first thing I really like about Serong is he has a real swagger about him on the paddock. There’s been a lot of talk of him playing like Robbie Gray, I see that a bit. For me he is a Toby Greene clone. Style, attitude and ability. For someone who is only 178cm he is a super one on one player in the air and on the ground. Attacks it at a million miles an hour and with intent. You can play him one out in the goal square and kick it on his head and he will find a way to take it. At 178cm and 83kg, he is a powerhouse. Plays much bigger. And is a match winner, will turn games quickly with. Has magic. But also has smarts, when he pushes up the ground, he sees things that others don’t makes the play that opens up the game. At times he can get too excited and just punt it down the line but when he plays with control he makes the right call. Natural footballer. Football quick, watch him at a stoppage, hands in tight are fast. But hasn’t really had preseasons up until this year due to playing state cricket up to under 16’s. So for me, there is still huge scope for improvement as he gets fitter. Which leads me to the midfield question, can he go through there? I’ve commented before that the days of drafting pure forwards under 188cm is just about done. As the boy does preseasons he will become a mid. Spent most of his time in the midfield this year, his numbers in big games show that he can already play there.
Finals numbers 25 touches per game, as well as four marks, five tackles, five inside 50’s .
And this stat line against WA at the champs, 33 disposals, 10 clearances and nine tackles were as co-captain he won Vic Country MVP and made the All Australian side.
These performances are done with limited preseasons at TAC level, once he gets fitter, he can be a mid. Might start off down forward with bursts through the middle and that’s fine.
I had the Hawks pinged for Fisher McAsey and Luke Jackson. These were the two that I thought would be on the board and also be best fit. Hawks need a ruck and just went and got Patton & Frost to play regular football so the key posts are skinny. Mitchell Lewis showed a bit and is a building block. But then I looked closer at what the Hawks have at ground level in the attacking half of the ground. . An aging Luke Breust who lead the goal kicking with 34 but is a shadow of himself, the next small to be listed is Chad Wingard with 14 and Tom Scully with 12!!! Wingard may get back to his best but is 27 next year and his last three years have produced 24,22 and 12 goals with a spell in the VFL last year. Looks a shadow of himself and that trade is looking more and more ugly. Give me Burton and Xavier Durusma and an extra 300k in my salary cap any day of the week. So all of a sudden the chance to add a Serong, is far too good an opportunity to pass up. Adding a match winner who is competitive, with scope for improvement is a huge win at 10.
And he screams a Clarko type, it's a great fit for player and club.
