AFL
How young mids can fit into 22

The deadline for the Supplementary Selection Period is looming, with Fremantle holding the option to fill their vacant list spot via the SSP or through the mid-season draft.

Train-on players Sam Stubbs and Liam Serong are two of the players in consideration for SSP selection after being trialled over the summer, participating in training and match simulations alongside Fremantle’s playing list.

While Stubbs or Serong are available, the Club could still opt to choose another player or leave the spot open for the mid-season draft later this year.

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“We have got a vacancy on our list at the moment, and we are trialling both Sam Stubbs and Liam Serong – who are both forwards, but they are a little bit different,” Bell told ABC Sports Talk. 

“Obviously, we have to decide whether it will be one of those two, someone else, or if we leave the spot vacant ahead of potential opportunities in the mid-season draft.

“We will make a call on that, the deadline is February 15…that is what we have to weigh up over the next couple of weeks.”

Stubbs, 25, is a 186cm forward from Perth Football Club who played 12 games and kicked 23 goals for Perth in 2022.

Serong, 18, is a 193cm key position player who impressed for Gippsland Power late last season after an injury-interrupted year and is the brother of Caleb Serong.

Bell said both players had enjoyed the opportunity to showcase their football abilities in a range of match sim settings over the pre-season. 

“Sam is an older player from Perth who has had an interesting journey to this opportunity, coming from Queensland and via Kalgoorlie and then Perth,” Bell said.

“He is a powerful, mid-sized forward who has acquitted himself pretty well in the match sims so far.

“Liam hasn’t played a lot of football but like his two brothers who are currently on AFL lists, he has got some AFL attributes and we thought we would give him an opportunity as well.

“He is the tallest of the three brothers with Caleb the shortest, but Liam is probably 193cm or 194cm as well and he has definitely had some moments in the match sims too.”