Real reason Dom Young is being ‘shopped’ around the NRL with England implications revealed

England international Dom Young is set for an exit from Sydney Roosters and the real reason he’s making an NRL move has been revealed.

Canterbury Bulldogs’ supremo Gus Gould has spoken about the reports that Dom Young will leave the Roosters and revealed key insight into the Englishman’s ambitions.

Those reports emerged early in the week after Young was again omitted from the Sydney Roosters squad. The former Huddersfield man signed with the Sydney side last year and scored 20 tries in 22 games but he’s struggled in 2025.

It’s now being suggested that he will make a return to Newcastle Knights, where he had scored 43 in 51, however, there are questions over where he will play with Gould revealing Young’s belief that he is a centre, not a winger.

“He’s a talent, he is a talent but Dom Young thinks he is a centre,” Gould explained on his Six Tackles with Gus podcast.

“He would prefer to play in the centres and he has never really enjoyed playing on the wing.”

Dom Young set for exit but keen on positional switch

A move to Newcastle likely wouldn’t see Young play in the centres given they have State of Origin star Bradman Best and Dane Gagai, although Gagai has played on the wing previously.

Speaking more about Young’s preference to pal centre, Gould said: “I don’t think he likes fielding the high kicks. I don’t think he likes to be exposed defensively out there on the edge with the decisions that he’s got to make.

“I (think) that he feels the high work rate of wingers these days dulls him a little bit in some of the other things that he can do.

“Being such a tall fella with long levers, he felt that he could feed wingers rather than be running onto the ball.”

Gould did add that Young isn’t one to complain about it, noting: “I know he doesn’t enjoy all aspects of playing on the wing. As a footballer, you play where you’re picked, he doesn’t complain about it. He’s an athlete, there are plenty of blokes who make careers out of being a winger that didn’t think they were wingers.”

Asked more about the fact he ‘knows’ this as opposed to thinks it, Gould revealed a previous conversation he had whilst Dom Young was still playing for Huddersfield.

He revealed: “I first spoke to Dominic Young years ago and it was his desire then to be a centre but he’s been pigeon-holed on the wing. He thought he’d be best-served at centre and maybe even one day as a back-rower, that was his kind of career path.”

We have seen players such as Kallum Watkins take that career path and perhaps Young could in time but for now, a return to Newcastle likely means remaining on the wing.

Gould concluded: “I’d imagine that he will be looking for somewhere where he can have a positional change and play centre.

“I’d be interested to see him play there because it’s the way he’s been exposed on the wing for the Roosters is why they’re prepared to let him go.”

It would also be interesting to note how Young’s England selection would be affected if he does move to the centre with Jake Wardle viewed as one of, if not, the best in Super League, and Herbie Farnworth holding a similar status Down Under.