Debutant NSW back-rower Hudson Young has never backed down from a challenge and says his rocky road to a State of Origin debut has steeled him to help the Blues conquer Queensland.
You only need to look back at Young’s debut NRL season to see why Brad Fittler believes the Canberra forward has the right attributes to leave his mark at Origin level.
In just his second NRL start in May 2019, Young made it his mission to gang up on South Sydney forward Sam Burgess with fellow Raiders tearaway Corey Horsburgh.
The intimidation tactics worked, with Burgess conceding five penalties, and although the Raiders lost Young scored a small victory.
“It’s something I have always prided myself on, I love those types of challenges,” Young told AAP.
“It probably wasn’t the smartest thing I did going after Sam but it’s something I did.”
Young gained plenty of admirers for his seek-and-destroy mission on a forward considered one of the greatest of the NRL era.
Among them was Fittler, who will hand the 24-year-old his Origin debut at Adelaide Oval on Wednesday night four years on from that tussle with Burgess.
“I remember that game” Fittler said.
“It was similar with Daniel Saifiti. I saw him take on the Roosters with Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Dylan Napa.
“You saw a competitive bloke who didn’t fear or avoid it.
“He (Young) competes on everything. Liam Martin is similar. They’re the ones you like playing with and that’s what makes a good Origin player.”
Young has taken a challenging road to Origin level.
He was once described as the “dumbest player ever” by Johnathan Thurston after receiving two eye-gouging suspensions in his maiden NRL season.
Canberra coach Ricky Stuart has stuck by him throughout all his indiscretions and Young has rewarded the Raiders over the past 18 months, scoring 19 tries in 33 NRL games.
“There’s definitely been ups and downs and I think it’s all part of the journey,” Young said.
“There are some things I regret but I probably wouldn’t change much because it’s created who I am.
“It has taught me lessons that I probably wouldn’t have learned along the way.”
