The Incident That Nearly Concluded Dom Young’s Time at the Roosters as Phil Gould Suggests a Shocking Theory

It appears Dom Young has played his final match for the Sydney Roosters, marking the end of what was once expected to be an impressive long-term acquisition for the club.

A remarkable try-scorer, Young has touched down 68 times across 80 first-grade games. Yet this week, he was informed that he is no longer needed at Bondi, despite having over two years remaining on his contract.

It seems highly likely that Young will return to the Newcastle Knights, the club where he began his journey in Australia, as speculation mounts regarding a swift reunion.

The key question is why the Roosters have decided to let him go early, particularly considering his evident talent and flair with the ball. Yet, it’s important to note that Young’s challenges have never been with his attacking skills.

The 23-year-old’s drop from the squad two weeks ago and subsequent release stem from his struggles off the ball.

In the team’s disappointing round one loss, Young missed five tackles and only managed six, as he was constantly targeted by the Broncos out wide.

The side rebounded the following week against the Panthers in a high-scoring match, with Young showing improvement in defence, missing just one tackle and conceding only one late try through rival winger Casey McLean.

During round three against the Warriors, he found himself caught in a precarious position when Adam Pompey seemed poised to score, but fortunately, the Bunker stepped in and ruled an obstruction.

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However, the most significant instance highlighting Young’s defensive weaknesses arose during a critical moment against their fierce rivals, South Sydney, when he charged in unnecessarily off his wing, allowing Latrell Mitchell to make a cut-out pass to Isaiah Tass for a score.

Despite having man-on-man coverage, Young opted to abandon his wing for an all-or-nothing play, leaving Tass unmarked to score.

He faced widespread criticism for that incident, and although no one at the Roosters would openly acknowledge it, it likely marked the end of his tenure in the top grade at the club.

Young managed to retain his position in the squad for another fortnight due to injuries and suspensions, before becoming a casualty in a 40-12 loss against Penrith in round seven.

Since his demotion to reserve grade, the Roosters have achieved victories over the Dragons and Dolphins, results that could prove crucial for their finals aspirations.

Alongside his consistent defensive issues, which have led to a tackle efficiency rate of just 77% this season, Young has also recorded 12 errors in seven matches—statistics that some may find alarming, especially coach Trent Robinson.

While his performance has certainly dipped during some of the Roosters’ defeats, Young is far from being the only factor at play. There may be more complexity behind his current predicament and the speculations surrounding his potential departure.

Phil Gould has suggested that Young believes he is being mispositioned and desires to try his hand in the centres—a prospect that seems highly unlikely at the Roosters with the presence of Billy Smith and Robert Toia.

“This has been brewing for some time,” Gould commented on Wide World of Sports’ Six Tackles With Gus on Wednesday morning.

“He possesses undeniable talent, but Dom Young sees himself as a centre. He would rather play in the centres and has never truly enjoyed his time on the wing.

“I suspect he has reservations about receiving high kicks and feels vulnerable defensively in that position. Given the demands placed on wingers these days, he perhaps feels it limits his potential to contribute in other aspects of his game.

“With his height and reach, he believes he could excel at feeding wingers rather than making runs himself, hence his desire to play in the centre.

“It stands to reason that he might be exploring opportunities for a positional switch and a chance to play centre—that’s a lead for you.”

A return to the Knights may not necessarily aid Young’s ambitions to play centre in the short term, given Dane Gagai and Bradman Best occupy those spots.

Nonetheless, if Gagai decides to retire at the end of next year, it could open a pathway for Young’s gradual transition, assuming coach Adam O’Brien envisions a future for him there.

Regardless of where he ends up, Young still has a promising future in the NRL, but there are numerous areas he must improve upon and significant lessons to learn.