Fremantle Dockers midfielder Hayden Young has declared a major turning point in his fitness battle, revealing a recent trip to a world-renowned medical centre has restored his belief in his body ahead of the 2026 AFL season.
A Season Derailed by Injury
The talented Docker endured a torrid 2025 campaign, managing just nine senior games after a series of physical setbacks. His pre-season was shattered by a broken leg, which saw him complete only 27 per cent of his scheduled preparation. Further soft tissue problems then limited his availability, robbing Fremantle of one of their most precise and damaging ball users.
"When you have a pretty interrupted year, you can get down on yourself and think you are prone to injuries," Young admitted. "But that's not the case."
The Aspetar Solution
Seeking answers, Young followed in the footsteps of several AFL stars and visited the Aspetar Sports Medical Clinic in Doha, Qatar. The facility has become a popular off-season destination for athletes, with Fremantle teammate Sean Darcy, as well as Jeremy McGovern, Elliot Yeo, Jordan De Goey and Callum Mills all having benefited from its elite services in previous years.
For Young, the experience was transformative. "The overwhelming feeling was that I left there with a lot of optimism and hope," he explained. "I left there with a lot of solutions and things that I can work on."
He emphasised that the clinic provided no magic fix, but rather a clear path forward. "The reality is there is no secret formula to keep yourself fit and healthy. It's work," Young stated, contrasting this off-season where he completed his full program with last year's broken leg that prevented any training.
Confidence Restored for 2026
The difference in his mindset is now stark. Young confessed that during his 2025 comeback, he often took the field unsure if his body would hold up. "It's not a great feeling when you're going out there playing in big games and are not sure about how your body is going to hold up," he said.
Now, armed with a renewed physical foundation and confidence, the 2026 season looks much brighter. His importance to the Dockers was undimmed last year, highlighted by a best-on-ground performance where he won the Glendinning-Allan Medal in just his second game back from a long-term hamstring issue, collecting 23 disposals and kicking three goals.
"Despite all of my adversity, I was still able to come back and perform. That gives me a lot of confidence going into this year," Young said. "I feel really confident now which is great."
