St Kilda’s Tom De Koning Ready for Big Challenge Against Fremantle
St Kilda’s new recruit, Tom De Koning, is feeling confident and prepared for an important ruck battle against Fremantle’s star player, Luke Jackson. The 26-year-old has been developing a strong partnership with Saints’ experienced player Rowan Marshall and has built a solid understanding with young midfielders Hugo Garcia and Max Hall.
De Koning’s physicality and athleticism make him a perfect match for Jackson, who is known as the “unicorn” of the Dockers. Their clash on Friday night at Optus Stadium is expected to be a highlight of the game.
“I’m excited about it. We’ve had some good matches in the past, and he’s been dominant, so it’ll be a challenge for us,” De Koning said after St Kilda’s win over Richmond.
“We’ll come up with a good plan. We have a five-day break, so we’ll take care of ourselves and focus on executing our strategy.”
De Koning also highlighted the improved teamwork between himself and Marshall, particularly in the centre bounce area.
“Both me and Ro pride ourselves on our follow-up and ability to move around the ground. Our centre bounce work has improved a lot recently, and we’re starting to gain more dominance there. Hopefully, we can bring that into the game.”
De Koning was a big name in 2025 when St Kilda signed him from Carlton in a major free agency deal. The laid-back 26-year-old says the pressure hasn’t affected him, and he believes his partnership with Marshall will continue to grow with more games together.
“I’m enjoying it. You put as much pressure on yourself as you want, and I think I’ve handled it well. I have a great support system around me, and I already knew some of the boys coming in. Having good mates like Ro makes it easier to work together on game day. There are heaps of positives, and I’m really enjoying my time here.”
St Kilda’s performance has been inconsistent, but they moved to 5-5 with their win over struggling Richmond. Now, De Koning and his teammates are aiming to prove they belong among the top teams and push for finals contention.
Beating second-placed Fremantle is the perfect way to show their strength.
“We really want to beat the top-eight teams. That’s what’s most important for us to contend at the end of the year,” De Koning said.
“So it’ll be really motivating for us to get the win this week.”
The Saints are still without star player Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera due to a calf injury, while forward Jack Higgins will miss the game because of knee soreness. Mason Wood has been named to replace Higgins.
Fremantle faced a setback when Caleb Serong was ruled out with a calf injury, which is expected to keep him out for two to three weeks. Corey Wagner has been named to return in Fremantle’s only change.
