Years Club 1956–1961 St Kilda | Name Bill Young Original team Stratford | |
Date of birth (1931-06-06) 6 June 1931 (age 84) Debut Round 3, 1956, St Kilda
v. Carlton, at Junction Oval Height/Weight 179 cm (5ft 10½ in) / 73 kg (11 st 7 lb) Role Australian Rules Footballer | ||
William D. "Bill" Young (born 6 June 1931) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with the St Kilda Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
Young was an all-round sportsman—a top goal scorer in country football; a cricketer who once top-scored for a Victorian country team against England; he was also a well-performed track cyclist, represented Country Victoria in tennis and later in life was an A-grade squash player. He is widely regarded as the best all-round sportsman to come out of Gippsland
In 1948, 1950, 1952, 1954 and 1955 Young was leading goalkicker in the Gippsland Football League, kicking 160 goals in 1954 and 136 in 1955. His best efforts were 26 goals in a game in 1950 and 22 in 1954.
Young debuted aged of 25 with St Kilda Football Club a full forward kicking 56 goals in his debut year, winning the VFL's Leading Goalkicker award.
He was also St Kilda's leading goal-kicker from 1956 to 1960.
Blair Campbell credited him with inventing the reverse punt shot at goal (he was most certainly the first VFL player to do so).
Young was rather frail for a VFL full-forward and under 6ft, but he used his leap well to mark over-head and was a deadly accurate kick for goal.
In 1962 he captain-coached Black Rock in the Federal FL and won the league goalkicking with 76 goals. He accepted a role at St Kilda as an assistant coach to Allan Jeans in 1963 and that ended his playing career.