JAI SERONG read the room last September when he told the crowd at Box Hill's awards night that he didn't intend on playing VFL again in 2026.
The key defender wasn't being disrespectful or flippant, having just won the Col Austen Trophy for a second time. He was just determined to play AFL week-in, week-out after being relegated down the depth chart at Hawthorn following the recruitment of Josh Battle and Tom Barrass.
It's why almost everyone at three clubs – Box Hill, Hawthorn and Sydney – are thrilled to see him living out his pledge for the Swans in 2026.
Not for the first time, a Serong dominated at Optus Stadium on Saturday night. Last October, Jai had the option of joining his older brother Caleb at Fremantle. Instead, he followed his head, not his heart.
That decision is paying dividends now.
The 23-year-old played 10 AFL games in four seasons at Hawthorn, but none at all in 2025. His last game for the Hawks was the 2024 semi-final against Port Adelaide, when Sam Mitchell called on him for the first time in three months after Sam Frost broke his foot in the elimination final win.
Between that AFL game and his next, Serong won Box Hill's best and fairest twice was named at centre half-back in VFL team of the year.
The Hawks knew Serong was an AFL calibre player, but they just didn't have a spot for him in a backline that had added Battle and Barrass alongside co-captain James Sicily and the more like-for-like Jack Scrimshaw, plus Victorian representative Blake Hardwick.
Sydney started tracking him in April last year and saw someone who could replace Dane Rampe long-term. They knew it was circumstance, not performance, that was keeping him out of the top level. And they liked his steely resolve, which was evident in that best and fairest speech, and in meetings with list manager Chris Keane and senior coach Dean Cox. He told them he believed he was an AFL player.
But the Swans weren't the only club to offer Serong a contract last October. After flying up from Melbourne to meet Cox and tour the Swans' facility, he travelled across the country to sit down with Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir, after the Dockers first expressed interest in him in 2024. North Melbourne also offered him a two-year contract.
After another year playing predominantly at Box Hill City Oval, and in places like Southport, Point Gellibrand, Coburg, Chirnside Park and Arden Street, Serong just wanted the best chance to play regularly at the top level.
That wasn't going to happen at Hawthorn. And it wasn't likely to happen at Fremantle either, with Alex Pearce, Brennan Cox, Luke Ryan and Heath Chapman permanent fixtures and Oscar McDonald often the next man in.
So there was some irony to Jai's career best performance in round four. Caleb Serong has won the past three Doig Medals and been named All-Australian in each of the past three seasons since being elevated to Dockers' vice-captain, making Optus Stadium his home.
At the same venue on Saturday night, Jai turned it on in his fourth game for the Swans, amassing a personal best 27 disposals, 13 score involvements, 10 marks, eight intercepts, one goal and 476 metres gained in the 128-point win over West Coast. Serong is only the fourth Swan ever to collect 25+ disposals, 8+ intercepts and 13+ score involvements in a game after Kieren Jack, Adam Goodes and Ryan O’Keefe.
"I obviously have the connection to (Fremantle) with having Caleb there and knowing the people there through Caleb, so it was quite a tough decision," Serong told AFL.com.au in December.
"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."
Sydney sold Serong on a role as a key defender, where he played predominantly at Box Hill, but that's not the role he is playing right now. Across his first four games in 2026, Serong has played 88 per cent on the wing and 12 per cent in defence, according to Champion Data.
Serong initiated a move to a wing at Box Hill last year under then coach Zane Littlejohn, who was poached by North Melbourne in the off-season. That switch was designed to enhance his chances of playing more senior football. At 193cm, he is the third-tallest wingman in the AFL right now, behind Collingwood's Ed Allan (194cm) and injured Adelaide youngster Daniel Curtin (197cm).
After starting the season with 19 disposals against Carlton at the SCG, Serong collected 18 touches against Brisbane in round one and another 18 against his old side in round two. The role has mainly been as a defensive winger, sliding back behind the ball. Even on Saturday night, Cox sent him back when key defender Lewis Melican came off of the ground.
Despite his flying start on the wing, Sydney still views Serong as a key defender long term. Rampe will turn 36 in June and didn't land a deal for this year until well after last season. This is expected to be his final year, although the veteran did run a personal best 2km time-trial in the pre-season and has been incredibly durable since being plucked out of local footy back in 2013. He's not quite done with yet.
The Swans spent a fortune to lure two-time Coleman medallist Charlie Curnnow from Carlton, sending three first-round picks – No.11 in 2025 plus a 2026 and 2027 future first – plus Will Hayward to the Blues in exchange for the spearhead, plus picks 31, 42 and a 2027 second-rounder. Curnow kicked four goals against the Eagles and is building nicely into his first season at the Swans.
But Serong is looming as one of the bargain deals of the 2025 trade period; Sydney only parted with a 2026 third-round pick for Serong and got a 2026 fourth-round pick back in the deal.
While Melbourne's Jack Steele is the clubhouse leader for steal of the 2025 trade period – and firmly in the conversation for overall recruit of the year – Serong is proving to be a shrewd piece of business by the Swans.
And he has been back to a Box Hill game, this time as the keynote speaker for the president's function. Serong will always be welcome at the Mustangs, but now he is thriving for a premiership contender.