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Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Dean Craig Young | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1983-10-28)28 October 1983 (age 42) Sydney, New South Wales, Australia | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 184 cm (6 ft 0 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 99 kg (15 st 8 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Second-row, Lock, Hooker | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Coaching information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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As of 15 August 2022 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Education | Dapto High School | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Father | Craig Young | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dean Young (born 28 October 1983) is an Australian professionalrugby league coach who is the assistant coach of theSt George Illawarra Dragons in theNational Rugby League (NRL) and a former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s and 2010s.
Primarily ahooker orlock, Young spent his entire playing career for theSt. George Illawarra Dragons, winning a premiership with them in2010, and representedAustralia andNew South Wales. In 2020, he was interim head coach of theDragons and in 2021, interim head coach of theCowboys for one game.
Born inSydney,New South Wales, Young played his junior rugby league for theDapto Canaries and attendedDapto High School before being signed by theSt. George Illawarra Dragons.[4][5]
Young's father,Craig, played 234 games for theSt. George Dragons, winning two premierships, and representedAustralia andNew South Wales.
In 2000, Young represented the New South Wales under-17 team while playing in the lower grades for theIllawarra Steelers.[6]
In Round 2 of the2003 NRL season, Young made his debut for the Dragons against theParramatta Eels. He became a regular of the Dragons NRL side following his debut, playing at either lock, hooker or second row. In 2006, Young was selected as18th man forNew South Wales in the2006 State of Origin decider inMelbourne, but did not play.[7]
In 2007, Young played just three NRL games, missing the majority of the season due to a knee injury incurred in 2006 from aLance Thompson tackle. His recovery was further hindered by complications from surgery which was performed to address this injury. In Round 3 of the2008 NRL season, Young played his 100th NRL game in a 14–21 loss to theCanberra Raiders.[citation needed]
In July 2009, Young signed a three-year contract with the Dragons.[8]
In May 2010, Young was selected to representCountry in the annualCity vs Country Origin game, scoring two tries in Country's first victory since 2006.[9] On 3 October 2010, Young started athooker and scored a try in the Dragons' 32–8Grand Final win over theSydney Roosters.[10] In November 2010, Young was selected in theAustralian squad for theFour Nations, making his Test debut in a 34–20 win overNew Zealand.[11]
In 2011, Young representedNew South Wales for the first time, starting athooker in their 12–16 Game I loss toQueensland.[12]
On 10 April 2012, Young announced that he would retire at the end of the2012 NRL season.[13] In Round 15 of the 2012 season, Young played his 200th NRL game in a 20–28 loss to theCanterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.[14]
In 2013, Young coached theIllawarra SteelersSG Ball Cup side.[15] In 2014, Young and former teammateBen Hornby were named co-coaches of the Dragons'under-20s team. They finished 4th and made it to the preliminary finals.[16]
In 2015, Young became an assistant coach for the Dragons'NRL side, under head coachPaul McGregor.[17] In 2019, Young worked as an assistant coach for theTongan national team.[18] In February 2020, he was an assistant coach for theIndigenous All Stars team.[19]
On 13 August 2020, Young was named interim head coach of the Dragons afterPaul McGregor resigned mid-season. Following the club's round 17 loss against North Queensland in the2020 NRL season, Young called out his players during the press conference saying "Same shit, different day," Young said. "It went wrong in blokes not getting their jobs done. Again, for the second week in a row, the game was there to be won in the last five minutes which is what this club wants to be about. "We want to be fighting for the full 80 minutes, right to the death".[20][21] On 16 September 2020, Young informedSt. George Illawarra that he would be leaving the club at the end of theseason, despite being offered a position alongside incoming head coachAnthony Griffin.[22]
Following the club's round 19 defeat toNewcastle where the Red V lost 42–18, an angry Young spoke to the media saying "We wouldn’t have beaten Dapto the way we played in the first half. It was Under 8s stuff".[23]
In Round 20 of the2020 NRL season, Young guidedSt. George Illawarra to a 30–22 victory over a depleted Melbourne atKogarah Oval in his last game in charge as interim head coach.[24]
At the end of the season, Young signed a three-year deal with theNorth Queensland Cowboys, joining the club as an assistant to incoming head coachTodd Payten.[15] He coached the side for one match in Payten's absence, due to him being deemed a close contact of a confirmedCOVID-19 case.[25]
On 14 July 2023,St. George Illawarra announced the return of Young as Senior Assistant Coach under head coachShane Flanagan in 2024.[26]
 Tonga national rugby league team coaches | |
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