Caleb Serong has been ruled out of Fremantle’s Friday night clash with St Kilda after scans revealed a calf strain. The Dockers said on Wednesday they will assess the midfielder again next week, after he was a notable absentee from training.
Fremantle football boss Joe Brierty said Serong had felt calf awareness after the Essendon game and scans later confirmed the injury. “We will monitor Caleb’s functionality in the coming days and provide an update next week,” Brierty said.
The setback interrupts one of the AFL’s most durable recent records. Since his debut in 2020, Serong has played at least 22 games in every season, and early reports had already suggested the injury could sideline him for two to three weeks. Fremantle did not lock in a timeline on Wednesday, but the club’s decision to rule him out of St Kilda points to a cautious approach.
Corey Wagner is expected to fill the vacancy after returning from a week out with a groin injury. Fremantle are also waiting on Hayden Young, who must still pass concussion protocols in time for the Brisbane game, leaving the Dockers to juggle more than one midfield absence at a key point in the season.
The match against St Kilda carries its own selection problems for the visitors. The Saints will be without Jack Higgins, who was ruled out with a knee issue after booting 17 goals in eight games this season and was replaced by Mason Wood. They are also missing Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, Max King, Mitch Owens and Liam Ryan.
Jaeger O’Meara was not considered for Fremantle’s line-up and will return from injury through WAFL side Peel Thunder. The Dockers are calling themselves Walyalup for Sir Doug Nicholls Round, but the main focus this week is the hole left by Serong, one of the team’s most reliable players. If the strain settles as expected, next week’s update will tell the story of whether his absence stretches beyond Friday night or becomes a longer interruption to Fremantle’s season.
