Fremantle’s top two draft picks from the 2019 NAB AFL National Draft will be able to live and learn from the best with Hayden Young and Caleb Serong moving in with two-time Brownlow medallist Nat Fyfe as they settle in Perth.
Both have their own reasons for being excited to move in with their new captain. An aspiring inside midfielder, Serong hopes to keep the conversation on footy while half-back Young is keen to join Fyfe in the surf.
“I’ll see how we go, it depends on how much he likes talking footy,” Serong said.
“It will be good to spend the next couple of weeks with Nat and learn as much as I can.
“Youngy is keen to put the budgies on, so in the next few days, when we have a bit of a break or a half day, we can get down to the beach and soak it up.”
All that’s left to decide is which room the two Vic Country teammates get when they arrive at their new home after their first day at the club on Monday.
“I got the better room in the hotel last night. I had the beach-front view so Youngie might get dibs tonight,” Serong said.
“It might have to (work in draft order) so he can take preference as he was first picked. I got it last night so I’ll give it to him if there’s a better room.”
Most of Freo’s draftees are moving in with at least one new teammate.
Liam Henry is moving in with Stephen Hill, Michael Frederick with Mitch Crowden, Isaiah Butters with Nathan Wilson and Jarvis Pina with Sam Switkowski, Bailey Banfield and Lloyd Meek.
Pina is the first Fremantle player drafted from Peel Thunder since the start of the alignment between the two clubs.
The defender has played for Peel alongside all of his new housemates and feels the experience at the Thunder will help him settle at his new club.
“I’ve known a lot of these guys from before and that’s broken the ice,” Pina said.
“I’m staying with a few of them now, so it’s going to make that bond even stronger and having the connection between Peel and Freo, that should be a lot better for me.”
