Dockers Secure Serong for the Long Haul
Fremantle Football Club has made a significant statement of intent, locking away star midfielder Caleb Serong on a massive seven-year contract. This deal, which extends until 2034, makes Serong one of the longest-contracted players in the Australian Football League (AFL), signalling his importance to the club’s future premiership aspirations.
The Victorian-born Serong, who is set to represent his state in the upcoming State of Origin match in Perth, was due to come out of contract at the end of 2027. However, his decision to commit to the Dockers for an extended period, alongside Melbourne’s Kysaiah Pickett, means both will be tied to their clubs until 2034. This move is being widely interpreted as a strong endorsement of Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir and the direction the club is heading.
Serong has established himself as a midfield powerhouse, averaging an impressive 27.4 disposals and 8.2 clearances across 24 games last season. His consistent form and leadership have been pivotal in Fremantle’s recent performances, and he is considered a key figure in their pursuit of an inaugural AFL premiership.
The reigning club best-and-fairest joins a growing list of key Fremantle players who have recommitted to the club, including:
- Andrew Brayshaw (co-vice-captain, midfielder) – contracted until 2031
- Hayden Young – contracted until 2033
- Luke Jackson – contracted until 2029
- Murphy Reid – contracted until 2029
With Serong’s future secured, the Dockers are now expected to turn their attention to retaining captain Alex Pearce. The Tasmanian defender is off-contract next season and is likely to attract interest from the Tasmanian Devils, who are set to enter the competition in 2028.
Coach Justin Longmuir, who has guided Fremantle to two finals appearances since taking the helm in 2020, will be looking to build on the club’s momentum. Their most recent finals campaign ended in a heartbreaking one-point elimination final loss to Gold Coast.
Essendon Appoints Board Member as New CEO
Essendon Football Club has appointed vice president Tim Roberts as its new Chief Executive Officer, bringing an end to a two-month search for a successor to Craig Vozzo. The club opted for an unconventional approach by promoting from within its own board, a decision they believe will ensure a smooth transition in leadership.
Roberts’ appointment marks a significant leadership change for the Bombers, as they also welcomed a new president, Andrew Welsh, late last year following the departures of Vozzo and David Barham.
Craig Vozzo will remain with Essendon in a consultancy role, focusing on list management strategy, recruiting, and salary cap management.
While stepping into the CEO role, Roberts will continue to serve on the Essendon board. He will relinquish his position as vice president, a role he only recently assumed in September. Roberts brings extensive experience from the construction industry, where he spent over 30 years with WT Partnership.
Since joining the club’s board in 2022, Roberts has been actively involved in various aspects of Essendon’s operations. His contributions include supporting the VFL program, assisting in the establishment of the AFLW team at Windy Hill, and overseeing commercial operations, community initiatives, and football department strategy.
While it is uncommon for sporting organisations to appoint a CEO directly from their board, Cricket Australia made a similar move in 2018 by appointing director Kevin Roberts as CEO. Essendon’s decision to appoint Tim Roberts was driven by his deep understanding of the club’s dynamics, combined with his proven business acumen. He was reportedly encouraged to apply for the position after being identified as a strong candidate during the selection process.
Club president Andrew Welsh expressed his confidence in Roberts’ ability to lead the club: “Tim has successfully built global businesses across a range of industries, and we are excited he can bring that experience and commercial acumen to his new role as CEO.” He further elaborated on Roberts’ impact since joining in 2022, stating, “We have seen Tim’s impact firsthand in his time on the board, and he was clearly the best candidate for what Essendon needs, someone who can strengthen our culture, provide continuity and allow us to execute our club strategy.”
Roberts, who commences his new role on Monday, becomes Essendon’s fourth CEO in three years, following in the footsteps of Craig Vozzo, Andrew Thorburn, and Xavier Campbell. It is worth noting that Andrew Thorburn resigned after just one day in the position.
Roberts conveyed his enthusiasm for the challenge: “The platform for success has been created by those who have gone before me, and I am proud to take on this challenge and continue Craig Vozzo’s incredible contribution.” He articulated a clear vision for the club, stating, “The Essendon I grew up barracking for were league leaders on and off the field, proud of the red and black and seen as a fierce, courageous, confident and bold club. That’s my vision for this club, and along with Welshy, our board and leadership, we are determined to reclaim that space.”
He further emphasised the club’s aspirations: “Essendon is a club that should be consistently competing for finals and premierships, be embracing and impactful in our community and commercially sustainable. During my business career I learned that people are the cornerstone of your success, and footy clubs are no different. We have terrific talent across our club through the executive, coaches, staff and playing groups, and our focus is to get the best out of everyone, being galvanised and executing our club strategy.”
Viney Facing Extended Lay-off After Achilles Surgery
Melbourne’s midfield depth has been dealt a significant blow with confirmation that star player Jack Viney will undergo Achilles surgery. The operation is scheduled for Tuesday, and Viney is expected to miss at least three months of the AFL season, potentially ruling him out for the majority of the first half of the year, assuming a smooth recovery.
Just last week, Melbourne’s fitness staff had expressed optimism that Viney might be able to avoid surgery and be available for the early rounds of the season. However, this outlook changed on Monday, leading to the decision for the 31-year-old leader to go under the knife.
Viney’s Achilles issue, coupled with a pre-existing back injury, had resulted in him undertaking a conservative rest and recovery plan over the summer, which significantly limited his training. When he attempted to increase his training load in January, his Achilles flared up again, and his back also continued to cause problems.
Viney’s extended absence will force a significant reshuffling of Melbourne’s midfield. This comes at a time when the Demons’ on-ball division was already set to look different following the off-season trades of Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver, and the acquisition of former Saints captain Jack Steele. The midfield that has been a cornerstone of the club’s success over the past decade will now be almost unrecognisable.
With the exception of captain Max Gawn, who is participating in the State of Origin match for Victoria against WA on Saturday night, only Gawn is likely to remain from the regular midfield quartet that has been a consistent feature for the Demons.
New Melbourne coach Steven King, aware of the list changes he would inherit, now faces an even greater challenge. The absence of four players from last year’s top 10 in the club’s best and fairest – Petracca (second), Oliver (seventh), and Viney (tenth) – will be keenly felt. Jake Bowey, who finished fourth in the best and fairest, also underwent surgery in December for a lisfranc injury to his foot, with an expected recovery time of at least six months.
The importance of the trade for Jack Steele from St Kilda has become even more critical, providing much-needed experience around the ball for the Demons. The extensive list of unavailable players is also expected to open up more opportunities for emerging talents such as Harvey Langford, Caleb Windsor, and Xavier Lindsay. Trent Rivers and Kysaiah Pickett are also anticipated to play more prominent roles in the midfield this season.
Further complicating matters, key defender Steven May’s future is uncertain due to personal issues that led to him missing training last week. Additionally, Jai Culley fractured his arm on Friday following an impressive pre-season campaign on the wing.
The club has already undergone significant off-field changes, with Steven Smith taking over as president from Brad Green, who remains on the board. Paul Guerra has been appointed as the new chief executive, Ned Guy has taken on a newly created role as executive football head, and Steven King is the new senior coach.
