Warragul product Jai Serong has achieved his childhood dreams by snatching a Hawks contract in the NAB AFL draft.

The 18-year-old came in at pick 53 for Hawthorn and follows on from his older brother Caleb Serong who was drafted two years ago by Fremantle.

With his family, girlfriend, and mates by his side, Jai said it was a rollercoaster of emotions when his name was called out on TV.

“As soon as my name got called out it was unreal, it was a great feeling, my head started spinning a little bit,” he said.

While his parents, Tania and Jamie had no idea whether he would be picked, Jai had spoken with different clubs before the draft and had a suspicion.

“I had a little bit of an idea, I was hoping to get drafted but it’s not a guarantee at all, it was probably 50/50 but to hear my name get called out was amazing,” he said.

Jai has proven himself as a tall key position player, with a style very different to Freo’s Rising Star recipient Caleb Serong. Jai comes in at 192cm, 14cm taller than his brother, and has shown versatility up forward and in the middle.

However, both have shown brilliance with their right-foot snap and clean ball work. Caleb picked up the AFL’s goal of the year for slotting it through from the boundary in Round 22 against West Coast. Jai has shown similar ability for Gippsland Power, with clean marking and a good goal sense in the forward line.

As Caleb was in a similar situation two years ago, he has been a great source of advice for Jai.

“He’s always there if I had any questions or need any help so he’s been awesome, he’s just told me to soak it all in and just work hard and ask questions,” Jai said.

With two boys now drafted to the national league, there’s plenty of reason for Mum and Dad to be proud.

“It’s just amazing, amazing that they’ve both been able to fill their childhood dreams really, and they’ve been able to get there because it’s such a long road really,” Mum Tania said.

The Serong family raised their three boys on a farm in Inverloch, where Caleb, Jai, and younger brother Liam had plenty of space to kick the footy or to pick up a cricket bat. All three boys have always had a ball in hand, and Jai was grateful to have two brothers as role models. But it wasn’t just the open space at the farm that earned Jai a spot on the Hawks list.

“Just as a whole family I think we’re really proud because they’re all doing really well at school as well, and I think work rate has been vital and maybe the farm taught us that, I don’t know,” Dad Jamie said.

When Jai was in Grade 2, the family moved to Warragul. It was at the Warragul Colts where his football journey started. He went on to Ellinbank and later to the Warragul Gulls, while getting experience with Gippsland Power.

“A variety of coaches and different voices along the way have certainly helped me I think, I’ve had some great coaches who helped me get to where I am and I’m very grateful to them,” Jai said.

Jai also turned heads when playing for his school Geelong Grammar, where he boarded for the latter half of his senior years. However, he said he was proud to have grown up in Warragul with a range of brilliant clubs and coaches by his side.

“I’ve spent most of my life here so I’m always going to be a Warragul boy at heart,” Jai said.

Since being picked, Jai was inundated with text messages and calls from Hawthorn players and staff welcoming him to the team. He’s now excited to get involved.

“I can’t describe the feeling to be honest, I’m just extremely happy and can’t wait to get into it, start working hard,” he said.