Grant Young (rugby league)
Encyclopedia
Grant Edward Young is a former rugby league
player. His position of preference was at Prop.
, shifting to Queensland when he was a teenager. He played for a local Sunshine Coast
club, the Beerwah Bulldogs, and from here made the Australian Residents side in 1994. In 1995 he was signed by the new South Queensland Crushers
and made his first grade debut in their inaugural season. He made the New Zealand Kiwis in 1996, playing in the series win over PNG
and Great Britain
.
In 1997 Young aligned himself with Super League
and signed with the Auckland Warriors. He played only nine games in the Super League competition
that year, although he again earned national selection. Alongside fellow international Hitro Okesene
Young was released by the Warriors at the end of the year.
Young moved to England in 1998, joining the London Broncos. In 1998 he played 22 games in the Super League
competition. However just two games into the 1999 season he broke his leg and was sidelined for the rest of the season. He did not re-sign with the Broncos for 2000, being unhappy with the contract he was offered.
Instead Young returned home to Queensland and reunited with his junior club, the Beerwah Bulldogs, becoming the player-coach. In 2005 he moved to join the Ipswich Jets
in the Queensland Cup
competition. In 2008 he returned to Ipswich to participate in the International Legends of League match.
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...
player. His position of preference was at Prop.
Playing career
Young grew up in WanganuiWanganui
Whanganui , also spelled Wanganui, is an urban area and district on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is part of the Manawatu-Wanganui region....
, shifting to Queensland when he was a teenager. He played for a local Sunshine Coast
Sunshine Coast, Queensland
The Sunshine Coast is an urban area in South East Queensland, north of the state capital of Brisbane on the Pacific Ocean coastline. Although it does not have a central business district, by population it ranks as the 10th largest metropolis in Australia and the third largest in...
club, the Beerwah Bulldogs, and from here made the Australian Residents side in 1994. In 1995 he was signed by the new South Queensland Crushers
South Queensland Crushers
The South Queensland Crushers were an Australian rugby league football club based in Brisbane, Queensland. In 1992 it was decided that the team would be admitted into the New South Wales Rugby League competition, along with three other teams, as part of the League's expansion plans for professional...
and made his first grade debut in their inaugural season. He made the New Zealand Kiwis in 1996, playing in the series win over PNG
Papua New Guinea national rugby league team
The Papua New Guinea national rugby league team represents Papua New Guinea internationally in the sport of rugby league football.In Papua New Guinea, Rugby league is highly popular and is regarded as the country’s national sport. The national side are known as the Kumuls...
and Great Britain
Great Britain national rugby league team
The Great Britain national rugby league team represents the United Kingdom in rugby league football. Administered by the Rugby Football League , the team is nicknamed "The Lions" or "Great Britain Lions"....
.
In 1997 Young aligned himself with Super League
Super League war
The Super League war is the common name given to the corporate dispute that was fought in and out of court during the mid-1990s between the Rupert Murdoch and News Corporation-backed Super League and the Kerry Packer and Optus Vision-backed Australian Rugby League organisations over broadcasting...
and signed with the Auckland Warriors. He played only nine games in the Super League competition
Super League (Australia)
Super League was an Australian rugby league football administrative body that conducted professional competition in Australasia for one season in 1997. Along with Super League of Europe, it was created by News Corporation during the Super League war which arose following an unsuccessful attempt to...
that year, although he again earned national selection. Alongside fellow international Hitro Okesene
Hitro Okesene
Hitro Okesene is a New Zealand former rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s who represented three countries; Western Samoa, American Samoa and New Zealand...
Young was released by the Warriors at the end of the year.
Young moved to England in 1998, joining the London Broncos. In 1998 he played 22 games in the Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
competition. However just two games into the 1999 season he broke his leg and was sidelined for the rest of the season. He did not re-sign with the Broncos for 2000, being unhappy with the contract he was offered.
Instead Young returned home to Queensland and reunited with his junior club, the Beerwah Bulldogs, becoming the player-coach. In 2005 he moved to join the Ipswich Jets
Ipswich Jets
The Ipswich Jets are an Australian rugby league football club based in Ipswich, Queensland.Their name comes from nearby RAAF Base Amberley, one of the largest airbases in Australia. The Jets compete in the Queensland Cup competition...
in the Queensland Cup
Queensland Cup
The Queensland Cup is the premier rugby league football competition in the State of Queensland, Australia.It is a statewide competition with the majority of teams based in South East Queensland but also including sides based in Cairns, Mackay and Rockhampton.The competition began in 1996 as a...
competition. In 2008 he returned to Ipswich to participate in the International Legends of League match.