Young Dog sinks teeth into new role

Young, the former Collingwood fringe player who was recently traded to the Western Bulldogs, has set his sights on filling the void left by defender Ryan Hargrave, who retired at the end of last season after 203 games.

The Bulldogs coaching staff have challenged the 20-year-old to find his niche at half-back, where Hargrave was such a valued performer over the past decade.

Asked if he aspired to become the kind of player that typified Hargrave at his best – courageous, strong in one-on-one contests and a dashing rebounder – Young was emphatic.

“Definitely,” he told AFL.com.au. “That sounds pretty good. Couldn’t have said it better myself. I’d love to be able to play that kind of role. Beat my man, help out my teammates, give some run to the team. I’ve got a lot of work to do first, though.”

It seems a stretch to link a Bulldogs’ stalwart with a youngster who has just joined the club after playing only nine AFL games in three seasons at another club, but there are certain similarities between the departed Dog and his potential successor.

In fact, in some ways Hargrave’s example could provide inspiration for Young.

Hargrave was a relatively late bloomer (due largely to health problems and the challenge of strengthening his light frame) who didn’t make his AFL debut until he was aged 20 years and 248 days. Young (who will turn 21 in April) is still a few weeks off reaching the same age.

They have similar physical dimensions. Young is 191cm and 91kgs, while Hargrave was 190cm and 87kgs in his final season. Young is noticeably more strongly built and, perhaps as a result, isn’t as nimble as Hargrave.

Like Hargrave, Young isn’t an elite kick, but compensates by being a fierce competitor who puts the team first.

Young appreciates the crystal-clear direction he has been given by the Dogs’ coaching staff about his role.

“At Collingwood I was in between half-back and mid, but here they’ve just said, ‘We want you to play half-back.’ I reckon that clarity will really help me because I’ll know what to work on and where I’m going to play. It’s good to know that so early on,” he said.

Collingwood plucked Young as a 15-year-old via the New South Wales scholarship program, which allowed the Magpies to select him with pick 104 in the 2010 NAB AFL Draft.

Hailing from the town of Bowral – made famous by Don Bradman – Young first played for Wollondilly before attracting the Pies’ attention at the Campbelltown Blues. He had also been a member of the Magpies Academy under-14 squad.

At 18, he won the best and fairest for Collingwood’s VFL team in 2010.

His debut in round 22, 2011, was also eye-catching. In a win over the Brisbane Lions at the MCG, the then 19-year-old collected 23 possessions and slotted two game-breaking goals. It was little more than 15 months ago, but he says it seems longer. Much has happened since.

“Collingwood were really good to me. It was a great experience. They gave me an opportunity, but I just couldn’t crack the team there. There’s a lot of good players running around there. Hopefully I’ll have more of an opportunity here,” he said.

Young agrees that being at Collingwood during a successful period, when there was enormous competition for spots, will equip him well for rest of career. He says that spending a few years gaining experience and strength in the VFL, along with mentoring from the likes of Scott Pendlebury and Heath Shaw, will also hold him in good stead.

Young played seven AFL games this season and gathered a career-best 25 touches against Greater Western Sydney in round 18. He also averaged 24 disposals in 12 VFL appearances.

But at the end of this season, when he was told by the Pies that they would try to trade him, Young wasn’t surprised. He says he couldn’t be happier to be with the Bulldogs, who got him in exchange for draft pick 71.

“I just feel really lucky to be here, and I want to make the most of this opportunity,” he said.

“I’m enjoying having a clean slate. It felt like I’d been at Collingwood a long time, which made it hard to make new impressions on people. First impressions are everything at a new club, so I’m enjoying the chance to start afresh.”

On his second day with the Dogs he joined them on their trip to London. He didn’t play in the exhibition game against Port Adelaide because he felt underdone after having only three weeks off since completing his training commitments at Collingwood.

Young’s roommate in London was veteran defender Dale Morris, who is on his way back after leg problems. “Dale’s a ripper,” Young said. “He’s also in the defenders’ group and he’s really looked after me.”

Young is also excited about working with Dogs defensive coach Rohan Smith (who coached him in the NSW/ACT under-16 side) and former Geelong champion Matthew Scarlett, who is a part-time specialist coach.

“We’ve only had a few sessions with Matty but he’s got so many little tricks that I would never even think of. I’ve already learned a lot from him,” he said.

“Dale Morris is another one. These experienced guys have all these little nuances and tricks that they pass on and they’re so helpful.”
Young wouldn’t reveal any of those tricks, but openly admitted an area of his game that needed work.