BY DAN

Hudson Young capped another impressive season with the announcement he would be joining the Kangaroos squad for the Pacific Tests. He’s now been named in the side for this weekend’s opener with Tonga. A year after controversially missing out he’s found a way. It’s a just reward.

It may have been plain to see form the start for some (and John Bateman), but it speaks to how far Hudson has come, and how consistently elite his play. Outside of Angus Crichton he’s obviously the next best Australian backrower in the competition. He has been the next-in-line for origin for some time now, in and out of the NSW squad as form and fitness waxes and wanes. He was also nominated for backrower of the year at the Dally M awards, as imperfect as they are. They other players nominated are all playing for their countries. He is part of that top tier of backrowers.

That is clear in his performance. Hudson is a match-winner for the Raiders, a player capable of great feats that turn games on their head. But his tendency to great moments obscures the consistency of his brilliance. Across the competition in 2024 he was second among second-rowers in line breaks, fourth in tackle breaks. fifth in tries, ninth in total metres, eighth in average metres, 23rd in try causes and 31st in line-break causes. If you only include people currently available for Australian selection those attacking numbers are 1, 1, 1, 3, and 2.

You get the picture. If you’re surprised this guy is in the mix you’re not watching. If you factor in that he did this in an offence that offered him no opportunity, and a defence held together by him and the rookie alongside him, you should be impressed. If you add to that he had a dip in form – reputed to be related to injury – in the middle of the season, then it makes his elite output throughout the year more remarkable.

There’s a broader case for his inclusion in terms of his style of play and his fit within the squad, now and tomorrow. He can cover multiple positions in the backrow which is something that Kangaroos Coach Mal Meninga seems to like (what’s the bet Ruben Cotter plays some backrow this spring). He’s just entering his prime; and with the generational change occurring at the ‘Roos selection table, it makes perfect sense to pick him.

I’m glad for Huddo. Upon inclusion in the wider squad he spoke to the Canberra Times of how important this was to him:

I felt like I finished the season pretty well and back playing my best footy, so to be recognised in a team of such great players is really special to me. I feel like it’s the pinnacle of rugby league so to be recognised in that arena is somewhere where I want to be and want to play at

And he was so close last year, missing out this time despite also being a worthy selection. We said then he’ll get his jersey, and as a member it seems it could be now. If so it’s not a case of ‘at last’, but rather, ‘ok, good’. It’s deserved, and he’ll be better for it. The expectations on Young are such that making the squad is deserved but not surprising, regardless of how he got there.

For the Milk this is also unquestionably good. Canberra don’t have a heap of elite players – at least not now. The lessons that Hudson learns being around the best will be useful to him, to the benefit of Canberra both on the field and off. Should he pass them on to the young players coming through the Raiders’ pathway will be a boon.

Well done Hudson. I glad you got your jersey.

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