Fremantle midfielder Hayden Young says he is ready for his next challenge after a break-out season and a first-time top three finish in the 2024 Doig Medal.

Young returns to training with Fremantle’s 5+ players on November 25, maintaining a positive outlook after the side narrowly missed a finals berth in a disappointing end to the season.

“We want to be in more of those games where we are playing good teams and it’s a tight contest,” the midfielder said.

“The challenge now is to work on finishing the work off and winning those types of games.”

Reflecting on 2024, Young shared insights into his personal development marked by a season full of consistency and adaptability.

“It’s been my first year playing every game, which is a good start, and getting the continuity of playing every week, I’ve gained a lot of confidence in my body and ability to go out and execute my role each week,” Young remarked.

The midfielder adding another layer to the engine room with a seamless move from defence.

"I've been pleased with my ability to transition positions and evolve in that space," Young stated.

“I feel like I’m a different player at the end of the year than I was at the start of the year.”

Young's move to the midfield had immediate impact with the 23-year-old named in the 2024 All Australian squad, along with Andy Brayshaw and Caleb Serong, with Serong making the final 22.

"I feel like our chemistry together and the way we complement each other as players makes us a formidable team and midfield group,” Young noted.

“As the year progressed, we improved in different areas of our game and started to understand our strengths and weaknesses and how we can support each other.

“That is something that will hold us in really good stead going forward if we want to be a midfield group that has multiple threats and a lot of depth in there.”

In a season full of highs and lows, ultimately ending in heartbreak, Young was particularly thankful for the unwavering support of Fremantle’s fans.

“It’s been an unbelievable season. So much has happened, and the evenness of the competition has made it a pretty special year to be a part of,” Young said.

“It speaks to the support of our members and fans that come each week and get behind us. We absolutely love running out in front of them.

“Win, lose, or draw, they are always there supporting us and that makes a big difference.”

Young credited the team's leadership, particularly Alex Pearce, Serong and Brayshaw, for helping the group to navigate a season full of challenges.

"We spoke a lot this year about controlling our own story," Young said.

“We just wanted to make sure we were in control of our destiny and our own story.

“I felt like we did that throughout the whole year, and we were pretty consistent with our approach each week.

"The business of football is that you put yourself on the line, and you can get your heart broken, and that happened this year.

“It’s going to sting for a while, but that’s the nature of the beast; you go out there and compete, but there are no guarantees. We gave it our best shot this year, and we were good, just not good enough.”