Fremantle star Hayden Young labelled the ‘point of difference' in Dockers premiership pursuit
Young secured his first Glendinning-Allan Medal despite being subbed off early in the fourth quarter against West Coast after a commanding display with 23 touches, seven clearances and three goals in a derby domination.
Channel Seven commentator Kate McCarthy said it was imperative the Dockers keep the left-footer fit, if they are to go deep into September and their hopes of winning a maiden premiership.
'Purely for what they have through the midfield, they have Andrew Brayshaw and (Caleb) Serong with Luke Jackson running through, but he (Young) is a genuine point of difference for them,' she said on AFL.com.
'He had a really important fourth quarter last week as the sub with 11 disposals and just continued on with that momentum, he's been their most important player.
'Keeping him on the park is an absolute must if you're Fremantle because he is key to your team going deep into September and maybe onto their first flag.'
Young has managed just six games this year after undergoing surgery on a hamstring injury he picked up in their round eight loss to St Kilda, having missed the start of the year with a similar injury.
Given his history, the Dockers have been managing his return to the AFL level, including acting as the sub against Collingwood, with coach Justin Longmuir warning there is still more to come as he works his way back to full fitness.
'It was a good build from last week and should set him up well for next week. I thought he was clean, I thought he found space, and I thought he finished well. He was sharp,' Longmuir said post-game.
'We've missed his ball use at times this year. He's a welcome addition. He gives us another big body around there as well, which helps Andy and Caleb and the other mids. We've missed that as well.
'I thought our stoppage work went to a level it hasn't seen for a while today. I'm sure Youngy had an impact on that. Of course, that excites me.'
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West Australian
9 hours ago
- West Australian
Xavier Ellis: Hayden Young injury takes shine of Fremantle Dockers' show of hard-earned maturity
What I liked … At half-time the Blues to be fair were by far the harder, tougher and more finals like team. The Dockers managed to adapt to the situation and make the needed changes on the run. They were handball happy. Over handballing is anything but finals like football. An adjustment from handballing to kicking quickly became overwhelming for the Blues defence. Amassing 11 second half goals and a finals brand of footy. What I didn't like … The balancing act of Hayden Young. Unfortunately, the young star has seen the highs and lows of AFL football within a week. Derby medallist to subbed at quarter-time. Whilst playing at Hawthorn players like Luke Hodge, Sean Burgoyne and Cyril Rioli all spent time in the State league to prepare properly for the rigours of AFL. Young managed 28 per cent game time against Collingwood, 57 per cent against West Coast and was subbed out after just eight per cent on Sunday. Will they get another chance with Young this season? I hope so, but it might be a slow cautious build. What would I like to see? Tag Zak Butters, he is a star of the competition when unmarked, with a tag he has been dormant in games. Remove their best player and they'll win the game. What I liked … Really scrapping the bottom of the barrel, but the performances of the two mid-season draft selections are certainly holding their own. Maric and McCarthy had handy games. More and more with 19 and 20 teams entering the competition, these mid-season older players will be important as the draft as talent will be very thin. What I didn't like … Former captain Shannon Hurn would use the phrase 'swim between the flags'. Simply put, know your limitations and play within them. Some of the Eagles players have a misunderstanding of their abilities and they shoot themselves in the foot most weeks. I love daring football and mistakes happen, but these are uncoachable mistakes the Eagles are making. What I would like to see … Players careers are on the line and players like Campbell Chesser are fighting for a list position. Another solid performance will go a long way to an extension. Eagles players have been bizarrely gifted multiple year contracts, 1 year and game incentives is more than enough.
The Advertiser
15 hours ago
- The Advertiser
Call-up looms for Fyfe after Young scans come through
Dual Brownlow medallist Nat Fyfe could receive an SOS call as early as this week after Fremantle confirmed Hayden Young had suffered an adductor strain. Young tweaked his groin tackling an opponent in Fremantle's 27-point win over Carlton at Optus Stadium on Sunday. The 24-year-old was playing just his third game back from hamstring surgery, and his groin setback leaves a massive hole in the midfield. The Dockers confirmed on Monday Young would definitely miss Saturday night's match against Port Adelaide, with a more concrete timeline to be provided in coming days. "We've escaped serious injury. It's just a matter of whether we can get him back before our last game," Dockers coach Justin Longmuir said on AFL 360. "We're cutting it pretty fine with timelines. We'll get a little bit more information back and see where the timelines fit. "Clearly the last couple of weeks has shown that he's important to us. "He adds a different dimension to our midfield. "Having said that, we've got to this point without him for the majority of the year, so I'm sure we'll be fine. "I feel for him more than I feel for us. He's been in and out all year and had setbacks. He'll be flat." Fremantle initially struggled against Carlton without Young's big body and class, with the Dockers trailing by 24 points at halftime before Jaeger O'Meara's move to the midfield to quell George Hewett helped turn the tables. Fyfe has missed most of the season after damaging his hamstring soon after returning from knee surgery. The 33-year-old made his belated return in round 12, before injuring his calf just three matches later while warming up at half-time as the sub. Fyfe's latest bid to return to the AFL side began on Saturday when he racked up 27 disposals, six tackles and five clearances while playing for Peel Thunder in the WAFL. That huge display came despite him being rested for the entire final quarter, with Fyfe now a chance to return to the AFL side for Saturday night's clash with the Power in Adelaide. "I thought he was the best player on the ground for his 60 minutes," Longmuir said of Fyfe. "He only played 60 minutes though, so we'll have a chat during the week. "He'll be involved in that and work out his next progression and whether there's a spot in the side." Asked whether Fyfe needed some continuity first, Longmuir replied: "A little bit, but we're running out of time in the season and we need to put our best team out there to win next week. "A lot of things will come into consideration with him and Alex Pearce coming back, but we need to get going as well. "So we'll see what it spits out at selection." If Fyfe plays, there's a strong chance he will be the sub. Pearce has played just one of Fremantle's past nine matches due to a hot spot in his shin, but is in line to return against Port. Fremantle have just three more matches - against Port, Brisbane and the Bulldogs - before the finals begin, so the race is on for Young to overcome his injury and build up fitness. Dual Brownlow medallist Nat Fyfe could receive an SOS call as early as this week after Fremantle confirmed Hayden Young had suffered an adductor strain. Young tweaked his groin tackling an opponent in Fremantle's 27-point win over Carlton at Optus Stadium on Sunday. The 24-year-old was playing just his third game back from hamstring surgery, and his groin setback leaves a massive hole in the midfield. The Dockers confirmed on Monday Young would definitely miss Saturday night's match against Port Adelaide, with a more concrete timeline to be provided in coming days. "We've escaped serious injury. It's just a matter of whether we can get him back before our last game," Dockers coach Justin Longmuir said on AFL 360. "We're cutting it pretty fine with timelines. We'll get a little bit more information back and see where the timelines fit. "Clearly the last couple of weeks has shown that he's important to us. "He adds a different dimension to our midfield. "Having said that, we've got to this point without him for the majority of the year, so I'm sure we'll be fine. "I feel for him more than I feel for us. He's been in and out all year and had setbacks. He'll be flat." Fremantle initially struggled against Carlton without Young's big body and class, with the Dockers trailing by 24 points at halftime before Jaeger O'Meara's move to the midfield to quell George Hewett helped turn the tables. Fyfe has missed most of the season after damaging his hamstring soon after returning from knee surgery. The 33-year-old made his belated return in round 12, before injuring his calf just three matches later while warming up at half-time as the sub. Fyfe's latest bid to return to the AFL side began on Saturday when he racked up 27 disposals, six tackles and five clearances while playing for Peel Thunder in the WAFL. That huge display came despite him being rested for the entire final quarter, with Fyfe now a chance to return to the AFL side for Saturday night's clash with the Power in Adelaide. "I thought he was the best player on the ground for his 60 minutes," Longmuir said of Fyfe. "He only played 60 minutes though, so we'll have a chat during the week. "He'll be involved in that and work out his next progression and whether there's a spot in the side." Asked whether Fyfe needed some continuity first, Longmuir replied: "A little bit, but we're running out of time in the season and we need to put our best team out there to win next week. "A lot of things will come into consideration with him and Alex Pearce coming back, but we need to get going as well. "So we'll see what it spits out at selection." If Fyfe plays, there's a strong chance he will be the sub. Pearce has played just one of Fremantle's past nine matches due to a hot spot in his shin, but is in line to return against Port. Fremantle have just three more matches - against Port, Brisbane and the Bulldogs - before the finals begin, so the race is on for Young to overcome his injury and build up fitness. Dual Brownlow medallist Nat Fyfe could receive an SOS call as early as this week after Fremantle confirmed Hayden Young had suffered an adductor strain. Young tweaked his groin tackling an opponent in Fremantle's 27-point win over Carlton at Optus Stadium on Sunday. The 24-year-old was playing just his third game back from hamstring surgery, and his groin setback leaves a massive hole in the midfield. The Dockers confirmed on Monday Young would definitely miss Saturday night's match against Port Adelaide, with a more concrete timeline to be provided in coming days. "We've escaped serious injury. It's just a matter of whether we can get him back before our last game," Dockers coach Justin Longmuir said on AFL 360. "We're cutting it pretty fine with timelines. We'll get a little bit more information back and see where the timelines fit. "Clearly the last couple of weeks has shown that he's important to us. "He adds a different dimension to our midfield. "Having said that, we've got to this point without him for the majority of the year, so I'm sure we'll be fine. "I feel for him more than I feel for us. He's been in and out all year and had setbacks. He'll be flat." Fremantle initially struggled against Carlton without Young's big body and class, with the Dockers trailing by 24 points at halftime before Jaeger O'Meara's move to the midfield to quell George Hewett helped turn the tables. Fyfe has missed most of the season after damaging his hamstring soon after returning from knee surgery. The 33-year-old made his belated return in round 12, before injuring his calf just three matches later while warming up at half-time as the sub. Fyfe's latest bid to return to the AFL side began on Saturday when he racked up 27 disposals, six tackles and five clearances while playing for Peel Thunder in the WAFL. That huge display came despite him being rested for the entire final quarter, with Fyfe now a chance to return to the AFL side for Saturday night's clash with the Power in Adelaide. "I thought he was the best player on the ground for his 60 minutes," Longmuir said of Fyfe. "He only played 60 minutes though, so we'll have a chat during the week. "He'll be involved in that and work out his next progression and whether there's a spot in the side." Asked whether Fyfe needed some continuity first, Longmuir replied: "A little bit, but we're running out of time in the season and we need to put our best team out there to win next week. "A lot of things will come into consideration with him and Alex Pearce coming back, but we need to get going as well. "So we'll see what it spits out at selection." If Fyfe plays, there's a strong chance he will be the sub. Pearce has played just one of Fremantle's past nine matches due to a hot spot in his shin, but is in line to return against Port. Fremantle have just three more matches - against Port, Brisbane and the Bulldogs - before the finals begin, so the race is on for Young to overcome his injury and build up fitness.
West Australian
18 hours ago
- West Australian
What Fremantle Dockers need to go right to secure a top four spot and finals double chance
Fremantle's come-from-behind win over Carlton has put them in the mix for a spot in the top four, but the Dockers will need to cheer against both Queensland teams in the final weeks of the season. Justin Longmuir's side moved to fifth, just one win behind ladder-leaders Adelaide and level on points with fourth-placed Geelong. The Dockers face embattled Port Adelaide on the road this weekend, followed by a blockbuster Friday night clash with Brisbane at home and a season-ending date with the Western Bulldogs. But even if Fremantle win their final three matches — which would have them finishing the season with a barnstorming 13 wins from 14 games — they will still need results to go their way to jag a double chance. It puts a spotlight on the final three games for Brisbane, including their match with the Dockers, and the final four games of Gold Coast's season. The Suns will enter all four of their remaining matches as favourites. They play Carlton at Marvel Stadium on Saturday night, then host Greater Western Sydney and play both Port Adelaide and Essendon in round 24 because their clash with the Bombers was postponed from Opening Round. The Giants, who are themselves still fighting to secure their ticket to September, appear the most likely team to challenge the high-flying Suns who have been practically unstoppable at home this year. The Lions face Sydney at the Gabba on Saturday before heading west to play Fremantle. The Dockers will likely need the reigning premiers to slip up either against the Swans, or at home against Hawthorn in the final round. If other results go as expected, the Dockers will play a finals series for just the second time since 2015 if they win one of their remaining games. Their match against the Power comes after Ken Hinkley's final weeks in the coaching chair were marred by back-to-back thumpings. They lost the Showdown to Adelaide by 98 points and were belted by Geelong to the tune of 88 points on Sunday. While the Suns' rescheduled match against Essendon will be played midweek after the final round, it appears likely the AFL will fixture a Sunday night match in round 24. That is likely to either be the Lions' clash with the Hawks or the Dockers' final match with the Bulldogs, given both games could have ramifications for the top four and the top eight. Fremantle could also jump into the four if wobbly Collingwood lose two of their three matches. They would have a close eye on Thursday night's clash with finals aspirants Hawthorn and on their round 23 meeting with new ladder-leaders Adelaide.
