Toast Welcome to Freo Hayden Young – Fremantle’s 1st 2019 National Draft Pick [Pick #7]

[Jezzitizle]

Who would you have taken at pick No.3? We ask the recruiters

AFL.com.au canvassed recruiters and list managers from 12 clubs about who they would have taken if they held the third pick

m.afl.com.au

 

[Bateman]

Hayden Young (188cm, 82kg from Dandenong Stingrays/Vic Country)

The best kick in the draft. In fact, he's the best kick to come through the draft in recent memory. And simplistically, that's about all you really need to know about Hayden Young. After the U18 Championships and the 2019 season came to an end, I doubt Fremantle would have had Young in their thinking. There was no way he should have been available at their first pick, not with his skills. Yet here we are, for some reason it looked like he could still be on the board.

The only reason I can think of why Young isn't a top 5 pick is because teams are factoring in needs, whether it's wanting a tall or wanting someone with breakaway speed. But their loss is Fremantle's gain. The only possible weakness is a lack of midfield game. Young played a bit in the middle to end the season for Dandenong and looked good, and maybe he eventually enters the midfield rotation. Who knows, but for now he's a half back. And as you would expect given his role, he doesn't get on the scoreboard himself...but his scoreboard impact is huge with how he uses the ball off half back.

As a half back, Young is everything you want in the modern game. I'll start with an underrated aspect of his game, and that's his defensive work. He made it a focus this year and it shows, he's not just an offensive weapon. He's also an excellent reader of the ball in the air, he can zone off and intercept with the best of them. But get the ball in his hand and just sit back and enjoy. His left foot is absolutely elite, but so is his vision and decision making. He can make kicks that other's wouldn't even attempt. He trusts his skills and isn't afraid to take a risk, and that's key against zone defenses. He's also a good athlete, winning the agility testing at the Combine and his personal best in the endurance testing would have featured in the top 10 too.

Looking purely at his stats, he's another who has improved his numbers in his draft year too, while losing nothing in terms of his kicking efficiency approaching 80%...

2018 - 15 disposals, 3 marks
2019 - 22 disposals, 5 marks

For me, there is absolutely no doubt that Young is a top 5 prospect and it's crazy to me that he would be available at Fremantle's first pick. I rate Nick Haynes from GWS as one of the best in his position, and I think Young could be even better.

Chris ,could he play on the wing?

 

[yakka man]

Who would you have taken at pick No.3? We ask the recruiters

AFL.com.au canvassed recruiters and list managers from 12 clubs about who they would have taken if they held the third pick

m.afl.com.au

Excuse me a moment.

 

[Monument Hills]

 

[rgauci]

Chris ,could he play on the wing?

he can he has a huge tank.

fist pumped when we got this bloke. Should of gone pick 2/3.

 

[Chris25]

Chris ,could he play on the wing?

He could, but his best position is no doubt off half back. He'd have more value there.

 

[wayToGo_]

Fyfe has already texted him the plan "Get the ball at back flank, launch it to me on the opposite forward flank. Rinse repeat."

 

[GreatPurpleShark]

I was freaking out earlier when it was revealed that Carlton was acting like a woman scorned and trying to trade ahead of our picks to get Young. Absolutely thrilled that we got him. His elite kicking would've been wasted under Ross Lyon, but from what Longmuir was saying earlier today he will let Young play to his strengths.

Woohoo!

Yeah I was nervous until Adelaide locked in the pick. Then i was happy because we got to choose from Young and one of Serong or Flanders. Now we just need to get the first pick in the second round for Devon.

 

[Confucius]

Holy crap this kid has skillz!

 

[Danny82]

Loved how bell said in our interview McAsey was in our thinking. What absolute rubbish. Was just purely to put Adelaide off the Carlton trade and it worked. Carlton knee this was a ruse and bid on Henry out of spite!

 

[Joao]

One of those recruiters in the pick 3 poll made a Pendlebury reference. Get him in mids training!

Not as smooth, but the evasion in traffic and kicking is reminiscent.

 

[6285sutto]

Well done on this pick ! This guy has mad skills and am looking forward to watching how his season pans out. Any one know how good his tank is ? Already thinking he will be pushing for 10-15 games if he can run out the season.

 

[Bring back Drum]

Things to improve on....scoreboard impact?

Ahh hello, he’s been playing half back.
Welcome Hayden. With Ryan, Young & Logue we will be up there with the best intercept defence in the AFL.

 

[Joeltownsmith]

Love the pick, we have a pleather of halfbacks at the club now. This backline will be fun to watch.

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

I struggle to think of ever seeing a better kick than this kid, its insanity how good his kicking is.

Its a combination of his vision, speed of thinking, technical ability and aggressive nature with the ball where he completely opens up the game with ridiculous kicks no one else could pull off.

I think he's a lock for 200 games simply because his kicking is such a weapon that will easily translate to the next level, his floor is crazy high

 

[Alfonz]

Kicking is incredible. We'd have the best possible trifecta of kicks coming out of the backline.

Seems quite lightly framed. Others like Duursma have stepped straight in, so hopefully he can play a bit next year.

 

[Snuffaluphagus]

Kicking is incredible. We'd have the best possible trifecta of kicks coming out of the backline.

Seems quite lightly framed. Others like Duursma have stepped straight in, so hopefully he can play a bit next year.

I don't see how he doesn't play round 1 personally. His kicking is such a weapon we need it in the side

 

[Joao]

Stoke to see him in the backline and I reckon it happens round 1.

I'm serious though, we need to get him in the middle eventually.

 

[PurpleReign]

This kid looks frickin good, a bonafide half back distributor. Hopefully drafting him means we can play Sturt as a bonafide half forward.

 

[free at last]

That kick he centred against WA was so good...Can see him becoming a defensive minded midfielder,intercepts the forward thrust sees the risky inboard target and hits them lace out...GOAL!!

 

[Piggy Smalls]

I remember when Michael Johnson used to nail the risky kicks out of defence and completely open up the play. I always thought it was such an important part of our best years 2012-2015. It’s why Pavlich could always get a 1 on 1.

This kid looks like he will bring that element back and really suit our anticipated more aggressive game style.

The more I think about this pick up the happier I am getting.

 

[maccamk]

Wilson Ryan Young and Hill moving the ball off half back Woweeeee!!!

The scarier thing is they are kicking to congested marking beasts Lobb Tabs and Fyfe.


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[Daddoo]

I remember when Michael Johnson used to nail the risky kicks out of defence and completely open up the play. I always thought it was such an important part of our best years 2012-2015. It’s why Pavlich could always get a 1 on 1.

This kid looks like he will bring that element back and really suit our anticipated more aggressive game style.

The more I think about this pick up the happier I am getting.

Agreed. I am getting more and more excited the more I think about this kids potential and value to the team. I am salivating at the thought of him cutting up that West Coast defense structure with a penetrating kick off HB to an open mid to bust the game open.


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[wayToGo_]

How good was the right foot kick in his highlights? Faaaaaaark he can kick.

 

[Nodgey]

Yep that was the ‘wow’ moment for me too. Just as skilled on the non-preferred