Carlton key defender Lewis Young has signed three-year extension with the club that will keep him as a Blue until the end of 2026.
The 24-year-old arrived at Carlton at the end of 2021, coming over from the Western Bulldogs as part of a three-team deal.
Making his club debut in Round 3 last season, Young quickly became a key piece of the Blues' backline as he put together a career year.
The former third-round pick played 19 games in 2023, with his most memorable performance coming in Round 22 against Melbourne in which he broke the AFL record for most spoils in a game with 24.
Before 2022, Young had previously never played more than nine games in a season, however he was clearly capable of shouldering the increased load, averaging 13.4 disposals and 5.4 marks per contest.
Carlton Head of List Management Nick Austin was impressed by Young’s ability to handle the responsibility placed upon him.
“We were thrilled with what we saw from Lewis in his first season at the football club and he has backed that up over the summer, so to have him re-commit for another three years is a great result,” Austin said in a statement.
“Lewis really stood up last year when a few of his fellow defenders were out: his opportunity came, and he certainly took it with both hands.
“Lewis typifies our philosophy of being a good teammate, both on and off the field. We believe he has a lot of growth still ahead of him and we can’t wait to see his game grow and develop over the next few years.”
Carlton will face Richmond in their traditional Round 1 matchup at the MCG on Thursday (7:20pm AEDT).