The Englishman, who played six NRL games for the Knights last year, is feeling fresh after returning home for Christmas and fit from an uninterrupted summer.

His work ethic in what is only his second NRL preseason has seriously impressed teammates and staff and the excitement around the outside back is growing as the season draws closer.

Young, who made a whirlwind debut last year at right centre, has been spending most of his time on the wing at training and it's a position he could come to make his own given Dane Gagai will resume duty in the centres.

Young will have to go past Enari Tuala or Hymel Hunt, and potentially others, if he is to find a home on a wing this season but it's what the youngster is targeting.

"I feel comfortable playing either position, but I think the wing spot definitely suits me and I'm focusing on that this year," Young said.

"The biggest goal is to be locked into the team for round one, to be honest. I've been training really hard in the preseason and I'm feeling really good about myself.

"I just want to keep showing that in training and impress in the trials, but I really want to be playing regularly this season in the first team."

Knights head of performance Hayden Knowles said Young's height at 200cm and strength clearly made him a potential attacking weapon on the wing, but his speed was yet to be put on show.

According to the NRL's in-game tracking system, Young was the fourth-fastest player in 2021, hitting 37.4 km/h to rank behind noted flyers Josh Addo-Carr (38.1 km/h), Jason Saab (38.0 km/h) and Xavier Coates (37.6 km/h).

"It doesn't surprise me he is mixing it with those guys," Knowles said of Young.

"He is a gifted, gifted athlete. He's got tools that people just can't get; six-foot-seven, strong, fast, powerful.

"Sometimes he does stuff, even over 20 metres, and you just go: 'wow, where did that come from?'.

"But what impresses me the most is his ethic this year around working hard has been really noticeable."

Young, who made two Super League appearances for Huddersfield before joining the Knights, said he learnt a lot in his first year in Australia. After debuting in round 3, Young injured his knee and required surgery. It was a frustrating setback but he was determined to get another opportunity and returned in round 14 to play five straight matches.

"That wasn't ideal," he said of the injury. "Making your debut, you want to push on from there, but it gave me a bit of fire in my belly because I'd tasted what it was like to play in the NRL, and I just wanted that feeling again.

"I wanted to prove myself and when I came back for those first couple of games there, I felt like I did that."

As for his speed, Young is part-Jamaican - a heritage he wants to honour by playing for the country in its debut at the Rugby League World Cup in England later this year.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: