Sydney Roosters winger Domninic Young has confirmed he will be joining the Newcastle Knights, revealing how he packed his entire life up before travelling to play his final game for Trent Robinson's side on Saturday evening.
In a stunning twist of fate, it was the Newcastle Knights who he played against, with the Roosters securing a narrow win on the back of a controversial Siua Wong try late in the contest.
Young has struggled with his form at the Roosters this year, and was dropped from first-grade a number of weeks ago.
The tri-colours recalled him prior to Origin 1 with Robert Toia selected for Queensland, and did again ahead of Game 2, but will not have that option ahead of Game 3, with Young telling News Corp he will be in Newcastle from this week.
โI would be lying to say it wasn't a weird one coming to the game with the circumstances,โ Young told the publication.
โI have a lot of good memories at Newcastle. It brings that excitement that I am going to Newcastle as well.
โIt was a little bit weird. I still had a job to do because I was a Rooster and I tried to do my best every time I put the jersey on. It was the same tonight regardless of the circumstances."
The winger was first linked with a move to the Hunter a number of weeks ago following his axing from first-grade at the Roosters.
The deal was believed to be some way towards falling over the line, only for the Knights to bail on paying his contract.
That led to an extraordinary press conference from Roosters coach Trent Robinson on the matter, but the waring clubs managed to get things back on track, with Young heading back to Newcastle just 18 months after leaving the club for a rich four-year deal at Bondi which simply hasn't worked.
Young said he drove his life to Newcastle, stored his things at English teammate Kai Pearce-Paul's place, and then put on the Roosters jersey for one final time.
โMy mate KPP is putting me up for a little bit. I have to put up with him for a couple of weeks. I drove all my stuff up. I'll be in (Newcastle's) review on Monday. We'll see what happens," the winger added.
Young, who scored 43 tries in 51 games for the Knights during his first stint, has added another 26 in 31 games for the Roosters and will likely walk back into a starting role in Newcastle with the side struggling their way through 2025, and currently holding the NRL's worst attack.
The deal is set to be confirmed on Monday.
