IT takes a heck of a character to put an ACL tear down to a “stitch up”. Having swept the SANFLW awards as a 15-year-old in her first year of senior football, 2023 AFLW Draft prospect Lauren Young missed out on her entire bottom-age campaign with the long-term knee injury. She’d be excused for feeling hard done by.

Though, carrying typically high spirits on the other side of her time on the sidelines, the rising South Australian star is primed to return to the field next year having hit her rehabilitation hard. Young says she’s “keen” as ever to do so after playing mascot (and runner) during her state’s unbeaten Under 18 National Championship title victory.

“(The injury) was a bit of a stitch up, I’m not going to lie,” Young said. “When I first did it I was just more excited to get into the rehab process but it felt like it dragged, especially during the middle months. Apart from that I was very grateful for all the support.

“I’ve been more of just a hype woman… I’ve (also) done a bit of coaching, I’ve had my mentoring stuff just to get the mental side of it right for when I came back, and I’ve practically lived in the gym. I’m so keen to be back, (the knee) is feeling good.”

Young’s list of accolades is enviable. She took out the SANFLW Best & Fairest, Coaches Award, and Breakthrough Player Award as West Adelaide reached the grand final in 2021, having also taken out South Australia’s Under 19 MVP award en route to All Australian honours. In the latter side, she had to gain special dispensation to play.

Reflecting on her extraordinary debut campaign and representative feats, Young says she pushed through the initial stress of whether she’d even get a game, before doing so emphatically, and then dealing with the disappointment of missing out on a premiership.

“I was so stressed that year,” she said. “Before my debut, I was stressed that I wasn’t going to get picked. I was happy with my Round 1 (performance) but I was aiming for a premiership that year more than anything. I still haven’t got one yet so I’m hoping 2023 is the year.

“I was just really grateful for the opportunity (to play for South Australia) because they had to go through a lot of effort to actually get me in, so I was very keen. To play with people like Zoe Prowse I was definitely fangirling. It was so good.”

As for the emotions of watching on as her state took out this year’s National Championship without her, pride was at the forefront of Young’s thinking.

“It didn’t really give much (negative) emotion to me,” she said. “I was more proud than anything because we have banter with the Victorians every year so I was just happy to finally see someone knock them off.”

Looking forward towards 2023, the extra gym sessions and goal setting are beginning to show their benefits. Young had a slight shoulder niggle but participated in the recent SANFLW preseason testing event and is primed to hit the ground running come next season.

If at all possible, the 179cm utility is looking to improve on her now fabled 2021 efforts.

“I’ll definitely be looking to do better than (2021), but whether that happens or not is a different story,” she said. “I just want to get through the preseason and hopefully just have a good Round 1 and go from there.

“I’m hoping to play midfield… (I’m improving on) my fitness, and probably just trying to avoid injuries.”

Though her parents and brother have had a profound impact on her career and recovery thus far, Young also points towards a much-loved Crow for inspiration – despite her ties to the Port Adelaide Next Generation Academy.

“Anyone who knows me knows I love Chelsea Randall,” Young said. “She was my (phone) background for ages so definitely Chelsea for her leadership on and off the field. She’s very courageous.

“(Port) would hate me saying this but I was very hardcore Crows from the start, but I’m definitely converted at this point.

“The Port Academy has been a big help this year especially through the rehab, and they gave me the coaching opportunity through the Port Next Generation Academy so it’s been really good.”

Young and her fellow SANFLW stars will soon find out next year’s fixture as it is set to be released in the week leading up to Christmas. Individually, 2023 marks the opportunity for Young to stamp her claim as the top AFLW Draft prospect in the country.