Craig Young
Encyclopedia
Craig Young is an Australian former representative rugby league
footballer for the Australia national rugby league team, the New South Wales Blues
and a stalwart player over 11 seasons from 1977 to 1988 with the St. George Dragons
in the NSWRL premiership
competition. He played at prop-forward.
soccer competition while he was also competing for Corrimal
in rugby league. League eventually won the battle and Young was selected to tour Great Britain
as an Australian schoolboy in 1972.
eventually secured his services. In his 1977 debut season coach Harry Bath
claimed Young was destined for a great future and in that same year Young was instrumental in helping the Dragons take the premiership title, beating the Parramatta Eels
in the grand final.
In 1979, Young was awarded captaincy of the Dragons' side and at 22 years of age led the side to its 15th title. He captained the side through tougher times up till 1988 including the 1985 Grand Final loss to the Canterbury Bulldogs
. In his final 1988 season he captained the Dragons when they won the mid-week Panasonic Cup competition, beating the Balmain Tigers
16-8.
He first represented for New South Wales
in 1979, making five appearances under the old selection rules. He was selected for the Blues
in the first ever State of Origin
fixture in 1980 and made four further State of Origin appearances up till 1984.
In 1982 Young was named man-of-the-match in Australia's series-winning second test match against New Zealand.
On the 1982 Invincibles
Kangaroo tour
Young in played in five of the six Tests as well as six Tour matches. His final national representative selection was at the Sydney Cricket Ground
for the 1st test of the domestic Ashes
series against Great Britain in 1984.
at the beginning of the 1991 season. He returned to the Dragons' coaching staff as recruitment manager in 2003.
Craig along with his sons, Brian Young and Dean Young run the Unanderra Hotel, 15 minutes south of Wollongong.
The Youngs purchased the Hotel in 1991 the year after Craig was sacked as coach of the Dragons.
There is a picture of a crocodile mounted in the sports bar as reference to Craig's nickname "The Croc". The machine of choice in the Hotel is the "Cherry Supreme"
Since 2005, Young has had a security role as team manager with the New South Wales Blues squads
.
Craig Young is the father of Dragons hooker Dean Young.
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
footballer for the Australia national rugby league team, the New South Wales Blues
New South Wales Rugby League team
The New South Wales rugby league team has represented the Australian state of New South Wales in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1907. Administered by the New South Wales Rugby League, the team competes in the annual State of Origin series against arch-rivals, the...
and a stalwart player over 11 seasons from 1977 to 1988 with the St. George Dragons
St. George Dragons
The St George Dragons was an Australian Rugby league football club in St George, Sydney, New South Wales that played in Australia's top-level Rugby league competition from New South Wales Rugby Football League in 1921 until 1998; in 1999 they formed a joint venture with the Illawarra Steelers,...
in the NSWRL premiership
New South Wales Rugby League premiership
The New South Wales Rugby League premiership was the first rugby league football club competition established in Australia. Run by the New South Wales Rugby League from 1908 until 1994, the premiership was the state's and later the country's elite rugby league competition...
competition. He played at prop-forward.
Early sporting success
Young had a strong grounding in the sport of soccer as a youngster and might have followed in his father's footsteps and turned professional (his father Bob Young represented Australia). His brother Warwick was a goalkeeper who played state league soccer for the Wollongong Wolves and for St George. At the age of 16, Craig was playing for Bellambi in the IllawarraIllawarra
Illawarra is a region in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is a coastal region situated immediately south of Sydney and north of the Shoalhaven or South Coast region. It encompasses the cities of Wollongong, Shellharbour, Shoalhaven and the town of Kiama. The central region contains Lake...
soccer competition while he was also competing for Corrimal
Corrimal, New South Wales
Corrimal is a northern suburb of the city of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia. Corrimal's CBD is situated on the Princes Highway, and several streets adjacent to it. The main shopping centres are Stockland Corrimal and Corrimal Park Mall next to the park on the highway. Outside this centre is...
in rugby league. League eventually won the battle and Young was selected to tour Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
as an Australian schoolboy in 1972.
Club career
Young's signature was chased by several clubs but the St. George DragonsSt. George Dragons
The St George Dragons was an Australian Rugby league football club in St George, Sydney, New South Wales that played in Australia's top-level Rugby league competition from New South Wales Rugby Football League in 1921 until 1998; in 1999 they formed a joint venture with the Illawarra Steelers,...
eventually secured his services. In his 1977 debut season coach Harry Bath
Harry Bath
Harry Bath , was an Australian rugby league footballer and coach who rose to prominence in the mid-Twentieth Century...
claimed Young was destined for a great future and in that same year Young was instrumental in helping the Dragons take the premiership title, beating the Parramatta Eels
Parramatta Eels
The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League...
in the grand final.
In 1979, Young was awarded captaincy of the Dragons' side and at 22 years of age led the side to its 15th title. He captained the side through tougher times up till 1988 including the 1985 Grand Final loss to the Canterbury Bulldogs
Canterbury Bulldogs
The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Belmore, a suburb in the Canterbury-Bankstown region of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, as well as New South Wales Rugby League junior competitions...
. In his final 1988 season he captained the Dragons when they won the mid-week Panasonic Cup competition, beating the Balmain Tigers
Balmain Tigers
The Balmain Tigers are a rugby league football club based in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Balmain. They were a founding member of the New South Wales Rugby League and one of the most successful in the history of the premiership, with eleven titles...
16-8.
Representative career
He was selected for the 1978 Kangaroo Tour and played in all five Tests and eleven Tour matches. He was named "Player of the Tour".He first represented for New South Wales
New South Wales Rugby League team
The New South Wales rugby league team has represented the Australian state of New South Wales in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1907. Administered by the New South Wales Rugby League, the team competes in the annual State of Origin series against arch-rivals, the...
in 1979, making five appearances under the old selection rules. He was selected for the Blues
New South Wales Rugby League team
The New South Wales rugby league team has represented the Australian state of New South Wales in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1907. Administered by the New South Wales Rugby League, the team competes in the annual State of Origin series against arch-rivals, the...
in the first ever State of Origin
Rugby League State of Origin
State of Origin is an annual best of three series of rugby league football matches contested by the Maroons and the Blues, who represent the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales respectively...
fixture in 1980 and made four further State of Origin appearances up till 1984.
In 1982 Young was named man-of-the-match in Australia's series-winning second test match against New Zealand.
On the 1982 Invincibles
The Invincibles (rugby league)
The Australia national rugby league team have generally since 1908 barring wartime, toured Great Britain every four years often capping the tour with games and Tests in France. This regular touring side are known as the Kangaroos...
Kangaroo tour
Kangaroo Tour
Kangaroo Tour is the name given to Australian national rugby league team tours of Great Britain and France. The first Kangaroo Tour was in 1908. Traditionally, Kangaroo Tours took place every four years and involved a three-Test Ashes series against Great Britain and a number of tour matches...
Young in played in five of the six Tests as well as six Tour matches. His final national representative selection was at the Sydney Cricket Ground
Sydney Cricket Ground
The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
for the 1st test of the domestic Ashes
Rugby League Ashes
The Ashes is the name given to the trophy awarded to the winner of a best-of-three series of rugby league football test series between Great Britain and Australia...
series against Great Britain in 1984.
Post-playing career
Young took up a coaching role at the Dragons in 1989 for two seasons until he was replaced by Brian SmithBrian Smith (rugby league)
Brian Smith is an Australian coach and former player of rugby league football. He is the current head coach at the Sydney Roosters of the NRL. Smith played for St. George and South Sydney Rabbitohs , appearing in a total of 31 first grade games...
at the beginning of the 1991 season. He returned to the Dragons' coaching staff as recruitment manager in 2003.
Craig along with his sons, Brian Young and Dean Young run the Unanderra Hotel, 15 minutes south of Wollongong.
The Youngs purchased the Hotel in 1991 the year after Craig was sacked as coach of the Dragons.
There is a picture of a crocodile mounted in the sports bar as reference to Craig's nickname "The Croc". The machine of choice in the Hotel is the "Cherry Supreme"
Since 2005, Young has had a security role as team manager with the New South Wales Blues squads
New South Wales Rugby League team
The New South Wales rugby league team has represented the Australian state of New South Wales in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1907. Administered by the New South Wales Rugby League, the team competes in the annual State of Origin series against arch-rivals, the...
.
Craig Young is the father of Dragons hooker Dean Young.