A trio of rival clubs are reportedly showing some level of interest in Hawthorn defender Jai Serong, whose strong form in the VFL couldn't earn him a spot in Sam Mitchell's side this year.
Serong was named in the VFL Team of the Year following a stellar season for Box Hill, averaging 21.4 disposals, 7.2 marks and 6.1 rebound 50s as the Hawks made a late finals finish.
The 193cm defender was unable to add to his 10 career games in the top flight in 2025, though, as new names Josh Battle and Tom Barrass slotted into the senior side after crossing from rival clubs.
Serong is yet to put pen to paper on a new deal at Waverley, with his contract situation and role on the periphery at Hawthorn piquing the interest of other clubs.
According to AFL.com.au, Essendon, North Melbourne, and Sydney have all been linked to the 22-year-old ahead of next month's trade period.
A move elsewhere could be best for both Serong and the Hawks, with the young backman looking AFL-ready after four years in the system for little AFL action.
The Bombers will be looking to bolster their backline after losing Jayden Laverde to another club and dealing with a mountain of injuries this year, while North Melbourne has struggled to find the needed depth in defence.
Sydney too has shuffled around their key defensive options under Dean Cox, with Tom McCartin playing forward to start 2025.
While Serong is off-contract, he is not eligible for free agency and would need to be traded to another club unless the Hawks decided against offering the young backman a new deal.
The trade period opens on Monday, October 6, and will conclude on Wednesday, October 15.
