Despite rupturing her ACL, Lauren Young is excited and positive about the future. Image: Brooke Bowering.

LAUREN YOUNG has endured more ups and downs than most teenagers.

Still just 18, she has won countless awards in senior football and been drafted to Port Adelaide, where she was a Next Generation Academy graduate.

But the highs of being named the SANFLW’s best and fairest, along with being an Under 18 All-Australian and South Australian Under 18 MVP at the tender age of 15 have been compounded with two ACL injuries – the most recent before she was able to suit up for the Power in her debut season.

Young collected multiple awards, including the SA Under 18 MVP, when she was only 15. Image: AFL Photos.

Yet despite watching her teammates attack the AFLW season from the sideline, Young continues to navigate her rehabilitation with a smile on her face.

“It’s not my first rodeo (with ACL injuries),” she said. “It obviously sucks. Like, as anyone who would do their ACL would probably say, but I've got (fellow ACL injured players) Indy (Tahau) and I've got Georgie (Jaques) at the moment and now JC (Captain Janelle Cuthbertson), which is unfortunate, but at least I've got the support around me, and the girls have been so good.

“It's really easy to stay positive around this place.”

Young ruptured her left ACL playing in the SANFLW for West Adelaide in March after being allowed to play five games for the Bloods in the AFLW off-season.

Young averaged 15 disposals and one goal in her four completed matches for West Adelaide. Image: Zac Milbank.

She suffered a similar injury to her right knee in late 2021 and is better for the experience – mentally and physically.

“When I did my first ACL, it was probably a lot harder because it's obviously a 12 month injury, and I was a lot younger, but I feel like doing that, I've matured.

“My saying this year is, ‘I can't do anything about it until the 12 months is over so I might as well not worry about it and stress right now’, because I've still got probably eight months (to go) at the moment.

“(There’s) not really much you can do.

Young has remained positive during her ACL recovery and is excited to tackle her fitness goals when she returns. Image: Brooke Bowering.

“I’ve actually set a couple goals with (Head of High Performance, Anthony Gallomarino). My main goal coming into this before I did my ACL was my fitness and we've already set a time for the 2km (time trial) when I come back that I'm trying to hit.

“I already feel huge.. and I'm in the gym five times a week so if I'm not getting huge then something’s wrong.”

Young has factored into her gratitude the knowledge that the club has backed her with a contract extension until at least the end of 2026, following in the footsteps of her fellow NGA graduate Shineah Goody.

Young has taken significant pride in seeing Goody making her mark in the AFLW along with their fellow first-year players Molly Brooksby and Piper Window.

Young was named in the 2023 AFL Academy alongside fellow Port draftees Molly Brooksby and Shineah Goody. Image: AFL Photos.

“I think we all expected all of them to do really well,” she said. “But just seeing the improvements from the start of the year, like I spoke to Molly at the start of the year, and her goal was working on her fitness, and she beat her 2km time by like a minute the second time she did it.

“Goody, obviously, with a Rising Star (nomination) and Piper just sliding straight into the midfield - it's so good to see the girls just fitting in already, which is really good.”

Young will be watching on as her side takes on North Melbourne Tasmania at Mission Whitten Oval this evening – the first of three games in nine days.