NewsBite

Bennett hails Young's inspiration

EVERYONE has a hero, even Wayne Bennett. The Newcastle coach, not known as a media chaser, was on the phone at 7.30am yesterday to pass on a news tip.

Wayne Bennett
Wayne Bennett

EVERYONE has a hero, even Wayne Bennett. The Newcastle coach, not known as a media chaser, was on the phone at 7.30am yesterday to pass on a news tip.

"Dean Young is going to announce today that he's retiring at the end of the season," Bennett said.

"When he does, I want to say something about him."

Very few people would have stopped their day to reflect on Dean Young's career yesterday, apart from Dragons fans.

A tough footballer and a wonderful clubman who overcame terrible injury to win a grand final and play for state and country, he will hardly be remembered as a great.

Yet Bennett put Young's career into perspective: "Dean Young was my inspiration." He coached Allan Langer, Darren Lockyer, Gorden Tallis, Shane Webcke, and Young was his inspiration?

"In any of those I've ever coached, if they said, 'who do you want on personality alone', this guy is in the grand final because he was the real deal," Bennett said.

"As a coach, you can't let him down because Dean Young never found an excuse in his life. And he had a bloody good excuse to retire in 2006 after his knee operation. The doctor told him he'd never play again.

"We haven't heard the last of Dean Young, because one day we'll all be calling him coach. You heard it here first."

Original URL: https://www.couriermail.com.au/ipad/young-was-my-inspiration-bennett-says/news-story/2b17640335865e85111b151bc4780b3a