Henry Young (footballer)

Henry Young
Personal information
Full name Henry Young
Date of birth (1873-05-16)16 May 1873[1]
Place of birth Geelong
Date of death 9 January 1923(1923-01-09) (aged 49)
Place of death Geelong Swimming Baths
Height 191 cm (6 ft 3 in)
Weight 90 kg (198 lb)
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1893–1897 Geelong (VFA) 47 (9)
1897–1910 Geelong 167 (76)
Total 214 (85)
Representative team honours
Years Team Games (Goals)
Victoria 7 (5)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1910.
Career highlights
  • Geelong best and fairest 1905, 1906
  • Geelong captain 1901–1909
  • Geelong Team of the Century
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Henry "Tracker" Young (16 May 1873 – 9 January 1923) was an Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League (VFL).[2]

Young was an outstanding ruckman who was allegedly never beaten in a game. Tracker was recruited from Wellington, a local team and first played in the Victorian Football Association days. A successful participant in numerous sports he was master of them all. He commanded respect whether it was on the football field, the boxing ring, riding in the Melbourne to Warrnambool road race, or rowing on Corio Bay.

A supremely athletic and fit person, it allowed him to ruck for four quarters, often brilliantly and with a dominating effect on his opponents, such was the consistency of his play the opposing rovers tried to feed off his hit outs. Strong and courageous, and a magnificent high mark he displayed a cool temperament and always at the forefront of protecting his teammates with effective shepherding.

Tracker sustained serious injury problems in 1898 and 1899, however he made a strong comeback and throughout his career provided tremendous service and was inspirational to his teammates as club captain (137 games as captain).

In 1996, Young was named in the Geelong Football Club Team of the Century as well as be inducted to the AFL Hall of Fame.[3] Tracker also won the Geelong Best and Fairest Award (pre-Carji Greeves Medal) in 1905 and 1906.[4]

Tracker's fitness was that impressive that it is well known that he ran 30 plus kilometres along the beach to the game, play four quarters in the ruck and then ran 30 kilometres back home.

Young died shortly after a swim of heart failure at the age of 49.[5]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Family Notices". Geelong Advertiser. Geelong, Victoria. 17 May 1873. p. 2.
  2. ↑ Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2014). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers: every AFL/VFL player since 1897 (10th ed.). Melbourne, Victoria: Bas Publishing. p. 980. ISBN 978-1-921496-32-5.
  3. ↑ AFL Hall of Fame
  4. ↑ Ross, John (1999). The Australian Football Hall of Fame. Australia: HarperCollinsPublishers. p. 139. ISBN 0-7322-6426-X.
  5. ↑ "FOOTBALL". The Daily News. XLII, (14, 899). Western Australia. 18 January 1923. p. 2.


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