Hampton Rovers sign former AFL premiership player Clinton Young

Hampton Rovers have made a surprise signing, picking up a former AFL 100-gamer in unique fashion while securing another ex-AFL footballer ahead of the VAFA season.

Hampton Rovers have made a big signing in the new year with former Hawthorn premiership player and 100 gamer Clinton Young joining the VAFA Premier C club.

Young was one of the more unique recruits with Rovers coach Anthony Quon teaming up with the 36-year-old in the same second XI cricket team at Hampton who happen to share the ground with the football club.

“It wasn’t necessarily in the planning,” Quon said.

“I play cricket at Hampton and he just moved into the area just around the corner.

“He came down and started having a hit.

“He has got a young family and he said ‘Oh look, I’m pretty keen to get involved in a community club so we’re local and I don’t have to travel too far for training or anything like that.’

Anthony Quon in action with the gloves for Hampton in the Cricket Southern Bayside competition. Picture: Valeriu Campan

“So it was a very informal chat on the cricket field and then we had an official chat on Monday to see how serious he wanted to be about this.

“And he said ‘I like the environment and I’m pretty keen to get involved and have a kick.’”

Young had several offers to go to other clubs but he preferred his nearby option to play at the Rovers as it would give him flexibility with a young family and work commitments at the Hawthorn Football Club where he is a corporate sales executive.

Young previously played and coached at Gisborne in the Bendigo Football League where he used to commute back and forth to get to work until he recently moved to the Hampton area.

Clinton Young in his hometown club colours Gisborne at Gardiner Reserve. Picture: Mark Wilson

He played 116 games for Hawthorn from 2005 to 2012 and a further 21 games for Collingwood up until 2015.

The former AFL midfielder/forward kicked 69 goals in his 137-game career.

Young is set to be available for a large proportion of the start of the VAFA season and will only miss some matches due to work commitments.

Quon was looking forward to having Young on board at the Rovers for 2023.

“It is really exciting,” he said.

“For our guys to have someone of that quality as a person and obviously his football background is very good.

“We are not a very old team, we are pretty young so to have an older head in and around is good.

“He has played at the highest level and he will help our team.

“And he is a really nice fella, really down to earth kind of guy.

“His main aim was to be involved at a local club and coming from the country I think he has got that footy-cricket club feeling about him in the way he wants to socialise.”

Clinton Young is one of three new recruits for Hampton Rovers in 2023.

The Rovers have also secured former North Melbourne footballer Will Walker who will be at the club full time this season after four years in the AFL system and a year in the VFL.

The 22-year-old, who played six AFL matches, was set to play a few games for the Rovers last year outside his VFL commitments although injury ended his season early and prevented the opportunity.

Walker is set to play a fair proportion of the season but he will also be managed throughout the year as his body continues to return to peak fitness.

Austin Parker will also return to the Rovers where he won an U17 premiership in 2019.

Parker comes from Old Mentonians where he played 20 senior games last season, won an U19 best and fairest and joined after attending Mentone Grammar School.

Quon said his side were keen to bounce back after a disappointing finish to the season last year where they lost to Old Geelong by a point in the preliminary final.

“I think the boys have realised that they can actually get to that level (of making the grand final),” he said.

“So I think, even though we lost, the positive is that their best is almost good enough and with a bit of luck who knows what could happen.

“But they definitely realise now that they are good enough to make finals.”