Dockers coach Justin Longmuir has revealed the moment he knew 2020 Rising Star Caleb Serong was the perfect fit for Fremantle.

Speaking on the Greats with Garby podcast, Longmuir says Serong really stood up — only weeks after getting drafted — in his first pre-season to make the coaches take notice.

“I remember really early in pre-season, (Serong) came to the coaches and said, ‘Don’t be scared to put me on Fyfey. He might beat me now but I want to learn from him, I want to know what makes him so good. So if we do match sim, can you put me against him?’. I said, ‘Well, yeah no worries’,” Longmuir said.

“It’s such a good trait to have to be putting yourself in uncomfortable situations and trying to learn from them.

“He’s always looking for every avenue to be better.

“He is an impressive young man.”

Serong, taken with pick 8 in the 2019 AFL Draft, played every game after his debut in round 4, including a stand-out performance against superstar Patrick Dangerfield at a wet Optus Stadium.

“We had a lot of wet games this year, wet weather footy. The game against Geelong, he was just so clean in everything he did playing against one of the best in Patrick Dangerfield,” Longmuir said.

Now heading into his second pre-season at the Dockers, Longmuir admitted he’d need a different approach with Serong before the 2021 season.

“I’m more worried about him, making sure he has a break, making sure he trains with real purpose,” Longmuir revealed.

“It’s more about quality over quantity. I don’t want him doing too much and burning himself out… over this period of time in particular.

“He’s going to do everything he can to be the best version of himself he can be.”