Jai Serong

{{Infobox AFL biography

| name = Jai Serong

| image = JaiSerong.jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Serong in 2025

| fullname = Jai Serong

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2003|02|16|df=yes}}

| birth_place =

| death_date =

| death_place =

| originalteam = Gippsland Power

| draftpick = No. 53, 2021 national draft

| debutdate = Round 21, 2022

| debutteam = {{AFL Haw}}

| debutopponent = {{AFL GC}}

| debutstadium = York Park, Launceston

| height = 192 cm

| weight = 80 kg

| position = Key Defender

| currentclub = {{AFL Haw}}

| guernsey = 29

| years1 = 2022–

| club1 = {{AFL Haw}}

| games_goals1 = 10 (1)

| statsend = 2024

| careerhighlights = * Col Austen trophy: 2024{{cite web |last1=Ferguson |first1=Emily |title=2024 Col Austen Trophy |url=https://boxhillhawks.com.au/2024-col-austen-trophy/ |publisher=Box Hill Hawks |access-date=27 September 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240927100826/https://boxhillhawks.com.au/2024-col-austen-trophy/ |archive-date=27 September 2024 |date=27 September 2024}}

}}

Jai Serong (born 16 February 2003) is a professional Australian rules footballer who currently plays for the Hawthorn Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He is the younger brother of Caleb Serong, who currently plays for {{AFL Fre}}.

Early life

Serong grew up on a dairy farm near the Victorian country town of Inverloch before his family moved to Warragul.

{{cite web | url=https://www.thegazette.com.au/sport/jai-serong-is-a-hawk-after-afl-draft-selection | title=Jai Serong is a Hawk after AFL Draft selection | date=30 November 2021 }}

He was drafted with the 53rd selection in the 2021 AFL draft from Gippsland Power in the NAB League.

AFL career

Serong made his debut in round 21 of the 2022 season when Hawthorn played the {{AFL GC}} in Launceston. He played in the final three rounds of the season.

His 2023 season was delayed because of injury. He suffered pericarditis.{{Cite web |date=2023-04-03 |title=Nissan Injury Update: Morris returns, watch on Wingard |url=https://www.hawthornfc.com.au/news/1299459/nissan-injury-update-morris-returns-watch-on-wingard |access-date=2024-04-09 |website=hawthornfc.com.au |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2023-03-30 |title=Serong set for stint on sidelines |url=https://www.hawthornfc.com.au/news/1294774/serong-set-for-stint-on-sidelines |access-date=2024-04-09 |website=hawthornfc.com.au |language=en}}

Statistics

Updated to the end of 2024.{{cite web |title=Jai Serong |url=https://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/J/Jai_Serong.html |website=AFLTables |access-date=6 August 2022}}

| 2022 || {{AFL Haw}} || 29

| 3 || 1 || 0 || 7 || 6 || 13 || 5 || 5 || 0.3 || 0.0 || 2.3 || 2.0 || 4.3 || 1.7 || 1.7

| 2023 || {{AFL Haw}} || 29

| 2 || 0 || 0 || 15 || 6 || 21 || 8 || 3 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 7.5 || 3.0 || 10.5 || 4.0 || 1.5

| 2024 || {{AFL Haw}} || 29

| 5 || 0 || 0 || 19 || 23 || 42 || 11 || 13 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 3.8 || 4.6 || 8.4 || 2.2 || 2.6

| 2025 || {{AFL Haw}} || 29

| 0 || – || – || – || – || – || – || – || – || – || – || – || – || – || –

|- class="sortbottom"

! colspan=3| Career

! 10 !! 1 !! 0 !! 41 !! 35 !! 76 !! 24 !! 21 !! 0.1 !! 0.0 !! 4.1 !! 3.5 !! 7.6 !! 2.4 !! 2.1