Caleb Serong enters the rooms after Fremantle’s win over Port Adelaide at Optus Stadium in round 22, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

FREMANTLE star Caleb Serong says he will embrace every moment that comes his way this September after learning some harsh lessons as a young player about how difficult it is to play finals.

Serong walked away from his first finals campaign in 2022 as a 21-year-old feeling like the Dockers had arrived as a team and were locked in for a run of September football. 

The loss of several experienced players contributed to the team taking a backwards step in 2023, however, before a disappointing end to 2024 saw them spectating in September for a second straight year. 

Serong said he had not forgotten the jealous feeling of watching finals from afar in the two years following Freo’s brilliant come-from-behind win against the Western Bulldogs and a semi-final loss to Collingwood at the MCG. 

He has a new perspective heading into Saturday night’s elimination final against Gold Coast and believes the challenges of the past three season have left the Dockers as ready for finals football as they could be.  

“It was my third year (in 2022), so I was really young and it was all new for me. But I just had that assumption that we’ll be back here next year, and we’ll have another crack,” Serong told AFL.com.au this week.

“(I thought) we’re a young side, we’ll go again, and we’re just going to keep getting better. It’s going to be all smooth sailing. 

“Obviously I knew we needed to get better … but you just have that assumption as a young group that your trajectory will be linear and you’ll just keep kind of improving.

“It just wasn’t the case for us, unfortunately, and I understand now how hard it is to get back to this opportunity to have a big impact at this time of the year.  

“I’ll definitely embrace and enjoy and really relish this opportunity for what it is.”

Caleb Serong and Jordan Clark after being named in the AFL All-Australian team at the 2025 AFL Awards. Picture: AFL Photos

Serong said the loss of senior players had contributed to the Dockers taking a step backwards in 2023 and needing to build themselves back up, with Blake Acres (Carlton), Rory Lobb (Western Bulldogs), Griffin Logue (North Melbourne) and Lloyd Meek (Hawthorn) all seeking trades. 

Champion midfielder David Mundy retired, while Lachie Schultz (Collingwood) and Liam Henry (St Kilda) departed the following year. 

The players Fremantle has added, however, have played a key role in driving them back into finals, with stars Luke Jackson and Shai Bolton shaping as key finals players alongside bargain recruit Pat Voss, prized draftee Murphy Reid, and important leader Jaeger O’Meara. 

Murphy Reid celebrates a goal during the match between Fremantle and Carlton at Optus Stadium in round 21, 2025. Picture: Getty Images

Serong said targeted recruiting had ensured the club had the right players in the right spots, but character and leadership had also proved vital in their climb back to finals. 

“We’ve got a lot of talent in through the doors, but we’ve also got a lot of high character individuals. That’s the that’s the main thing in my opinion,” the three-time All Australian said. 

“The other part is these young guys that were brought in over the last few years are really starting to step up from a leadership and ownership point of view and accountability from the way we’re playing and what we’re trying to achieve. 

“That was always going to be required to be able to get us to that next level with the next group of guys and leaders being ready and wanting to step up and take that ownership. I think you’ve seen that this year.

“We’ve had to go through a lot of those harsh learnings, but we are where we are now as a result of those experiences. We’ve learned along the way and I think we’re as ready as we’ll ever be.”

Serong was a star when the Dockers last played finals, dominating as best afield against the Bulldogs with 33 disposals and 10 clearances and then leading the way for the Dockers against Collingwood with 34 and 16 contested possessions. 

They were the two most enjoyable games he has played, and the vice-captain was not shying away from the build-up and excitement in his anticipated return to the September stage. 

“We’ve done so much hard work to get to this point, and this is only just the first step for us,” Serong said.  

“You do all this work to give yourself an opportunity at this time of the year, but you also want to enjoy it. I’m here to embrace everything that comes with September. 

“I’ve watched the last two years on the back of playing in 2022 and you’ve just got such a jealous feeling, and feeling like you’re missing out on this really special thing that you want to be a part of.

“Right now, we get to be a part of it and I’m going to enjoy it.”