Lauren Young gets her Showdown debut after two ACL injuries
Young will play in her first Showdown after knee injuries sidelined her twice before.
Lauren Young has waited years for this moment. The Port Adelaide forward missed her previous two Showdown chances due to ACL tears, her right knee in late 2021, then her left knee in March 2024.
Recovery from the second surgery stretched to 18 months and included complications: a torn meniscus discovered at the eighth month, an infection, and eventually four operations total. Young made her AFLW debut in round six 2025, finally fit to play.
Growing up in Adelaide, she watched every Showdown as a family tradition, even from New Zealand. Now she gets her chance alongside childhood heroes like Juzzy Mules-Robinson and Ash Woodland at her preferred club, Port Adelaide.
- Late 2021
- Right ACL tear
- March 2024
- Left ACL tear
- 18 months
- Recovery duration
- Four operations
- Total operations
Why it mattersYoung's story shows the toll ACL injuries take on young athletes, but also the payoff of persistence through long recovery.
AustraliaSouth Australian football fans get to see Young finally fulfil her dream in the state's biggest local fixture.
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