Fremantle superstar Caleb Serong has become the second player in the AFL to sign until the end of 2034, penning a seven-year extension with the club.
Serong was set to become one of the hottest free agents in the competition at the end of 2027, coinciding with Tasmania's introduction into the league.
The Devils will be equipped with cash to splash and draft picks to ensure any deal can be met, while the $5 million sign-on bonus spread over two years is set to play a crucial role in landing a big fish.
The Dockers star joins Melbourne's Kysaiah Pickett on the longest deals in the AFL, whilst committing long-term alongside teammates such as Hayden Young (2033), Andrew Brayshaw (2031), Josh Treacy (2030), Brennan Cox (2030), Judd McVee (2030), Patrick Voss (2030) and Sean Darcy (2030).
"It's really exciting. It means a lot to me and my family. This club means a lot to me,” Serong said.
"It's a great feeling to be able to commit long term and to know what our future looks like as a family, where we're going to be for the next nine years now, which is really exciting and something that didn't require too much thought.
"One of the parts that gets me going in the morning is the passion and the excitement those guys - and such a big group of our cohort at the moment - have for this footy club.
"You don't commit that long to a footy club if you don't have an emotional and a really strong investment with that, and that's what I feel the most.
"I feel that emotional, strong love for this footy club, and I know a lot of those guys do too."
Serong has won the past three Doig Medals and has earned the same amount of All-Australian blazers in that time frame.
"The individual accolades he has, alongside the leadership qualities he consistently demonstrates year on year, are pretty incredible given he's still just 25," Fremantle Head of Player Personnel David Walls said.
"It's great to see him locked away as a Fremantle player and a member of the Freo family for life, essentially.
"He was going to be out of contract and a free agent at the end of next year, so with Tasmania entering the competition and a number of other Clubs interested on the east coast, he would have certainly been one of the most sought-after players."
