JAI SERONG was boarding a flight to Portugal at the start of October when he finally made up his mind. After assessing all his options, the key defender decided to follow his head, not his heart. 

The 22-year-old had met with Sydney coach Dean Cox, list manager Chris Keane and GM Leon Cameron during Grand Final week, touring the Swans' headquarters in Moore Park. They wanted him. And he decided he wanted them.

After another winter stuck in the VFL, Serong is determined to play in the AFL. That wasn't going to happen at Hawthorn, where key defenders James Sicily, Tom Barrass and Josh Battle are all ahead of him and Josh Weddle and Jack Scrimshaw play tall and small.

Serong didn't add to his 10 senior appearances in 2025, but he couldn't have done much more. Only so many key defenders fit in the same backline. His stocks rose amid a year where he won a second consecutive best and fairest at Box Hill and was also named in the VFL Team of the Year. 

It left Serong with options. 

David Trotter from Hemisphere Management Group fielded plenty of interest. Hawthorn was open to re-signing him, but list manager Mark McKenzie and senior coach Sam Mitchell understood his situation. North Melbourne offered him a two-year contract. So did Fremantle after he travelled across to Perth from Sydney to meet with Dockers coach Justin Longmuir.

But it was Cox on the other end of the phone moments before he flew to Europe the day after the Peter Crimmins Medal. 

"I wanted to make a decision before I got on the flight to Europe. I rang ‘Trotts' [Trotter] before I boarded. I then boarded the flight when 'Coxy' called to say he was super excited by the commitment to nominate Sydney," Serong told AFL.com.au.

"Throughout the year I felt like I was playing pretty good footy at VFL level, but due to the talented players in front of me at Hawthorn, the likes of Battle, Barrass, Sicily, Weddle, Scrimshaw, there wasn't really an opportunity there for me in the role I wanted to play. 

"'Trotts' and me had had a lot of chats with ‘Macca' [McKenzie] and Sam about my desire to play AFL footy and had been quite open with them throughout the year. I was out of contract and was communicating throughout the year that if there was an opportunity I would want to explore it. They were really good about it and were very understanding about getting a trade through. 

"There were a few clubs that I spoke to, but it just felt like Sydney was the best in terms of the opportunity here, the club being a successful club, I think their list is in a position where they can consistently challenge and go deep into finals. They were the main things that went into the decision making."

Fremantle had explored a move 12 months earlier when Serong still had a year to run on his contract. But after being recalled for the 2024 semi-final against Port Adelaide – the last senior game he ultimately played for Hawthorn – Serong opted to stay put and fight again for a spot, despite the names arriving at Waverley Park.  

The Dockers circled back this year. They have known Jai and the Serong family since they first came to visit his older brother Caleb at home in Warragul months before selecting him at pick No.8 in the 2019 draft. 

Caleb is now a three-time Doig medallist and three-time All-Australian midfielder at the age of just 24. The pull west was enticing. Not many get the opportunity to play league football with their brother. But Jai knew he had to make the best decision for his long-term future in the game.

"That was a really tough decision," Serong said. "I obviously have the connection to the club with having Caleb there and knowing the people there through Caleb, so it was quite a tough decision. I felt the opportunity at Sydney and the role I wanted to play was a lot clearer. It just felt it was the best move for me and my career. 

"Caleb was really good throughout the whole process. We spoke about doing what's best for me. He was super non-judgemental and didn't try and influence my decision at all. He was great throughout the process and very happy for me when I got the move to Sydney. I'm really grateful for the relationship that we have; I was able to be honest with him and he was able to accept that and not sway me either way."

Standing 193cm, Serong is a mobile intercepting defender that can play small, tall, and in between. He was used on a wing at times at Box Hill, but has made his name in the VFL as a backman. That's where Sydney wants to play him in 2026, but now it's up to him to cement a spot over the summer. 

"The role I see myself playing at the Swans is as a defender that can play tall, small, third and rotate between those different roles. I played a lot of different roles at Box Hill, but I think a real strength of mine is my versatility to be able to play tall, small, medium and that was the sell from the Swans," he said.

"They felt like there is a role for me here; obviously nothing is certain in AFL footy, there are some really talented players on the Swans' list, so I'll have to come in and work hard and earn my spot, but that was the role. They felt like they needed some support down back."

Hawthorn's depth across the ground ensured a handful of players were stuck at Box Hill when they would have played regular AFL football at other clubs: Ned Reeves, Henry Hustwaite, Sam Frost, Sam Butler and James Blanck were also starved of opportunities in 2025. 

Serong struggled with living on the fringe early in the year. He felt like no matter how well he played, he wasn't going to be rewarded. Enter Ed Barlow. The former Sydney and Western Bulldogs defender-turned-Hawthorn performance psychologist helped him develop techniques to overcome the mental battle. 

"My third year in 2024 I thoroughly enjoyed that year. I played a lot of VFL footy and played well, everything was new and flowing at that time. The AFL team was playing really good footy and no one was getting injured and everyone was playing well, so I sort of understood that. I got a look in in that final, which was a great experience for me and something I really enjoyed. I went into that pre-season of 2025 and really wanted to cement a spot. They brought in some really talented players which made it harder," he said.

"It obviously didn't eventuate, so there was some frustration, especially at the start of the year. I felt that frustration coming into my footy and I wasn't performing as well as I wanted early in the year. I went through a process with the club psych focusing on the process, controlling what I can control. I feel like that helped me have a really strong end to the year in the VFL."

Despite the lack of exposure at Hawthorn, Serong left on decent terms. Mitchell provided him with regular feedback across this year, while McKenzie helped facilitate a move to the Swans. They rate him at the Hawks and believe he can become a permanent fixture at AFL level.

"I have a lot of love for the football club; I have a lot of love for Sam and 'Macca' and the way they handled the situation. I wouldn't be the player I am today without their help over the last four years," he said.

"We had some very honest conversations, especially towards the end about where it all sat. I felt like I needed to be having opportunities to play AFL footy and they didn't say there wasn't an opportunity but they did say that things were going to change in terms of the people. They were really good about it and said they wanted the best for me. it all went well and was quite a smooth process. I left on good terms."

Sydney was one of the key players in the 2025 Continental Tyres AFL Trade Period. It got deals done early for Malcolm Rosas jnr and Serong. It traded Jack Buller to Sydney, despite wanting to retain the key forward. It then worked all the way until the deadline to secure Charlie Curnow with just three minutes left in the window. 

To land the dual Coleman medallist, the Swans had to trade Will Hayward and Ollie Florent to Carlton – in different deals – along with three first-round picks. It was the blockbuster move of October. Now Curnow is Serong's problem, at least on the training track. 

"I think Charlie is a huge get for the Swans. He is obviously a very talented player and one of the best in the comp in his position," he said.

"You want to test yourself against the best, so any chance I get I will try and match up against him. I think he is a super talent player and will bring a lot to the Sydney Swans footy club. Hopefully we can both contribute to the success in the years to come."

Every October, fringe players move for greener pastures. It doesn't always turn out that way. But as Joe Richards showed this year and Massimo D'Ambrosio 12 months earlier, there is always a bargain buy of the Trade Period. Can it be Serong in 2026?