Caleb Serong has capped off an outstanding season to win the 2023 Doig Medal at the Doig Medal Presentation Dinner at Crown Perth on Tuesday night.
The favourite going into the count, Serong was a clear winner on 222 votes, ahead of runner-up and 2022 Doig Medallist Andrew Brayshaw on 179 votes.
Serong led all players in the AFL for disposals and ranked in the top five for contested possessions and clearances on the way to an All Australian season.
The award goes alongside a number of accolades for Serong in 2023, including being named All Australian and in the 22under22, as well as winning the Herald Sun Player of the Year award and the ABC's Geoff Christian Medal.
Like Brayshaw in 2022 and Nat Fyfe in 2013, Serong wins the medal as a 22-year-old. Serong edged out Brayshaw by three months to become the third-youngest player to win the Doig Medal behind Fyfe and Matthew Pavlich, who was 20 in 2002.
Senior Coach Justin Longmuir praised Serong’s ability to deliver every week.
“He was our most consistent player and it was at such a high level,” Longmuir said.
“We highly value the contest and stoppage, and he was able to have an impact in those areas in almost every game.
“He’s improving year on year, which is what all young players are aiming to do, and winning the Doig Medal is great recognition of the work he’s put in over a number of years.
“He’s always looking for different aspects to improve within his game and it’s great that he gets rewarded for that.”
It was Brayshaw’s fourth consecutive top-three finish in the count, after an equal-third in 2020, third in 2021 and win in 2022.
In third place on 167 votes, Luke Ryan earned his third top-five finish at the Doig Medal.
New recruit Luke Jackson finished fourth on 158 votes and Hayden Young earned his first Doig Medal top five with 140 votes.
Lachie Schultz and Sam Switkowski tied for sixth on 139 votes ahead of Alex Pearce (134 votes), Brennan Cox (117 votes) and Michael Frederick (112 votes) to round out the top 10.
The count highlighted the impact made by Fremantle’s youth with four players from the 2019 AFL Draft in the top 10, in Serong (pick no.8), Jackson (Melbourne’s pick no.3), Young (pick no.7) and Frederick (pick no.61).
Jye Amiss was deservedly recognised as Fremantle’s most promising young player as the winner of the Beacon Award on the back of his 41 goal season.
Josh Corbett was named the Best Clubman in his first year at Fremantle, recognising the impact he has made inside the four walls as well as his work as a coach with Fremantle’s AFLW team.
History was also made on the night with four inducted as Life Members, including the first two women to achieve the honour in Kara Antonio and Hayley Miller.
Antonio was recognised for her contribution to the Club as the inaugural captain, a role she held between 2017 and 2021, as well as her outstanding efforts and achievements throughout her 47 games and six years at Fremantle.
Miller is the first player to reach the required 60 AFLW games to earn Life Membership, having played 62 games so far between 2017 and 2023 as the Club’s AFLW games record holder.
They were joined by inaugural Doig Medal winner, former captain and former board member Peter Mann, and the Club’s long-serving boxing fitness coach Gary ‘Springer’ Ingraham.
John Garland was awarded the Con Regan Medal for his extraordinary contribution to the Fremantle Dockers as a part of the AJ Diamond Club.
The Club also recognised Rob Gibbons, Seamus Rafferty and Mark Liszukiewicz with Outstanding Service Awards.
DOIG MEDAL TOP 10
Caleb Serong – 222
Andrew Brayshaw – 179
Luke Ryan – 167
Luke Jackson – 158
Hayden Young - 140
Lachie Schultz, Sam Switkowski – 139
Alex Pearce – 134
Brennan Cox – 117
Michael Frederick - 112
