Hayden Young: Fresh injury concern for luckless Fremantle Dockers star
Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir is hopeful Hayden Young’s latest injury setback isn’t serious, but concedes the lack of continuity is not ideal for the star midfielder just a month out from finals.
In what was just his third AFL game back since recovering from hamstring surgery in early May, Young failed to see out the opening 20 minutes of the Dockers’ 27-point win over Carlton due to a groin concern.
He spent time on the medical bench under the attention of a Fremantle physio, before taking part in a brief and slow run-through on the field at quarter-time.
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But the 24-year-old failed to get the tick of approval and was swapped out for sub Neil Erasmus as the second term began. He later cut a dejected figure in his team hoodie as he came to terms with his latest injury setback.
Dockers coach Justin Longmuir said he was hopeful the injury was on the minor side.
“We’re hoping to get a bit of continuity with him, so touch wood it’s not too bad,” Longmuir said.
“It doesn’t look very serious. He just couldn’t get going.”
Young had a disrupted start to the year due to a hamstring issue before undergoing surgery in May after breaking down in Fremantle’s loss to St Kilda.
When asked if Young’s challenging 2025 and a lack of continuity was affecting him, Longmuir responded: “It doesn’t help… but I think (Sunday’s) injury was just a bit unlucky and a bit more of a twisting action.
“When you miss as much work as he did over pre-season – he’s had repeat hammies – it puts you at serious risk when you come back,” he said.
“Unfortunately, he hasn’t been able to buffer that stage that you need to regain full fitness but also the resilience in his body.”
Young starred for Fremantle in his first start since returning as the substitute a week prior, snaring the Glendinning-Allan Medal as best afield in his side’s western derby win.
He finished third in the Dockers’ best-and-fairest last year and looms as a key to Freo’s finals push, but will now face a nervous wait to gauge the severity of his injury.
The left-footer was playing in just his seventh game of the season, including the past four being impacted by being subbed either in or out.
The Dockers jumped to fifth with the comeback victory ahead of next weekend’s trip to South Australia to face Port Adelaide.
