Fremantle Dockers: Defender Hayden Young’s midfield move against Geelong could be a nod to the future

Rebounding defender or big-bodied midfielder? Hayden Young could be both for Fremantle, writes ELIZA REILLY.

Hayden Young’’s move to the midfield against Geelong could be a nod to the future. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

Rebounding defender or big-bodied midfielder?

Hayden Young could be both to Fremantle.

By any measure, 2023 has been a dour season for the Dockers but, amid the frustration, they might have found a Swiss Army knife to serve them well into the future.

We know what Young can do in defence. This season, his first in Fremantle’s leadership group, Young is going at an average of 22.1 disposals, 1.7 intercept marks, 4.7 rebound 50s and 491.2 metres gained. They’re career high numbers.

But on Saturday against Geelong, the 22-year-old tackled a completely foreign assignment.

Instead of lining up in defence, he started in the midfield, on Brownlow medallist Patrick Dangerfield of all players.

Young had an excellent game against the Cats. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

In the 70 minutes the pair were matched up, Young not only went head-to-head with the Cats’ captain, but arguably took the honours. Young finished with 19 disposals, seven of which were contested, and three clearances. While Dangerfield had 16 touches, eight contested, and three clearances.

Young is the perfect mix of defence and attack down back. And those traits were on display around the ground. At one stoppage on the wing, Young slipped out the back of Dangerfield, received a handball in space, and stepped around a Geelong player before sending the ball forward with his powerful left boot.

Fremantle used Young at 52 per cent of centre bounces. Only Caleb Serong (83 per cent) and Andrew Brayshaw (87 per cent) featured more often. But Young outclassed both permanent midfielders when he cut through heavy traffic in the centre square, won the football on the bounce and delivered inside 50.

Elite ball skills? Strength? Awareness?

It may sound familiar.

Jordan Dawson has been the prototype when it comes to half-backs moving on-ball this season. The Crows captain has been a revelation, averaging 28.1 disposals and 521.5 metres gained. Two centimetres, a few kilograms and 52 games separate the pair so it’s tantalising to think what Young could become should Fremantle persist with the move.

Congratulations to Fremantle's Hayden Young for taking out the @fourntwenty Mark of the Year nomination for round 16!

What a grab it was. pic.twitter.com/9gN0l3ssNH

— AFL (@AFL) July 7, 2022

And there’s no reason why the Dockers shouldn’t.

At least for the final month of the season.

Fremantle’s midfield, when it underperforms, has been one of its glaring weaknesses this season. Young gives the Dockers another big body but also someone they can isolate to deliver cleanly in congestion. Think David Mundy and the connection he had with Fremantle’s forward line, a trait Fremantle have dearly missed this season.

“I think this slipped under the radar from the game was the decision to put Hayden Young as a tagger on Patrick Dangerfield,” Fox Footy expert Leigh Montagna told First Crack.

“I like that Justin Longmuir tried something different. It’s been an issue for Fremantle, the midfield stuff, the contested ball. He’s a beautiful kick so why not have a look at it and unearth what they already have on their list and play some players in different positions.

“Next year, there’s still plenty they can learn and maybe they have unearthed something? I want to see them continue to go with it.”

Young gives Freo another big body in the midfield. Picture: Phil Hillyard

Fremantle flirted with the move earlier this season but couldn’t persist in the circumstances. In the dying stages of the Dockers loss to Greater Western Sydney, Young attended four centre bounces in the fourth quarter and won the final centre bounce clearance of the game.

Back then, Fremantle’s finals hopes were still alive and Heath Chapman was still injured. Now, Corey Wagner has shown immense attacking potential at half-back, Karl Worner forced his way into the team on the back of sustained form at Peel Thunder and Jordan Clark is also an option.

Coach Justin Longmuir has already indicated he sees a future for Young in the midfield.

“Him (Chapman) and Youngy, we think in the future, will work their way up the ground a little bit,” Longmuir told the ABC before playing the Giants. “At the moment, Clarky and Youngy are doing great jobs in their roles for us down back in a pretty well functioning backline.”

Fremantle could do worse than make the future the present.

Originally published as Fremantle Dockers: Defender Hayden Young’s midfield move against Geelong could be a nod to the future