Knights legend Timana Tahu believes Dominic Young can break his and Akuila Uate's season try-scoring record and help Newcastle into the NRL finals in the process.
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The former 196-game centre/winger, who scored 21 tries during Newcastle's 2002 campaign, a feat Uate matched in 2010, is backing Young to eclipse their achievements.
The 21-year-old flyer is two tries shy of equalling the record after scoring his 19th this season in the 26-18 win over Melbourne last week.
"If he does break it, he deserves it. Records are there to be broken," Tahu told the Newcastle Herald.
"If he can break it, that's a great achievement for him but also something that he can put a stamp on and leave the club on a good note."
Young's 19 tries have come from 17 appearances. With six games remaining in the regular season, the Roosters-bound winger has ample time to break the record.
But he could conceivably equal Tahu and Uate against the Raiders in Canberra on Saturday.
"I'm sure he will, because he is one of the strike weapons in the back-line and a lot of the Knights' shifts go towards his wing," Tahu said of Young setting a new record.
"He has also got one of the best centres in the game, Dane Gagai, inside of him. 'Gags' is a smart, seasoned player and knows when to tip it on.
"With Gags there, I think he will get it."
![Knights winger Dominic Young and reight-side centre partner Dane Gagai. Picture by Jonathan Carroll Knights winger Dominic Young and reight-side centre partner Dane Gagai. Picture by Jonathan Carroll](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/max.mckinney/3b1a7c27-9324-4b4e-81ec-da121de2985b.jpg/r0_0_4258_2839_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Gagai and Young "haven't really spoken about" the individual milestone, but Gagai joked Young had "been calling for the ball a lot more".
"He's been unreal, Dom," Gagai said.
"From the start of the year, just the improvements he's made - not only in attack but in defence as well. He's been focusing on that at training.
"It's a pleasure playing inside him because I know if I get him on the outside of the winger then it's 'see you later'. It's nice to have a winger that has got speed."
One of Newcastle's most potent attackers himself over 126 games, scoring 93 tries, Tahu has been amazed by Young's development since the Englishman arrived ahead of the 2021 season.
![Tahu, centre, in 2012 during his second stint at the Knights. Picture by Jonathan Carroll Tahu, centre, in 2012 during his second stint at the Knights. Picture by Jonathan Carroll](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/max.mckinney/e6510f3c-5ae0-4537-afb0-3262d51cac5d.jpg/r0_0_4896_3264_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"He is a great athlete, he does a lot of the workload for the team and is one of the in-form wingers," he said.
"He's got the size, the power and has got a good motor on him as well. He fits the mold of today's wingers - tall, gets in and does the hard work, gets the team in good field position, and finishes the tries off.
"It's a shame he is leaving at the end of the year, a big loss, but he is not slacking off. He is actually playing his best footy for the club and you can see that respect in honouring the jersey."
With Newcastle now 10th and a point outside the top eight, Tahu feels if the Knights are to make a run to the finals that Young and the side's talent-laden back-line will be at the forefront of their charge.
![Tahu scored 93 tries for Newcastle, 25 for Paramatta and seven for Penrith. Picture by Ryan Osland Tahu scored 93 tries for Newcastle, 25 for Paramatta and seven for Penrith. Picture by Ryan Osland](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/max.mckinney/939a8401-c724-41cd-8624-d2270c10af2d.jpg/r0_127_5184_3456_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"There's strike weapons around the field - Ponga, Best, Gagai and Marzhew. It's a good back-line and something that the Knights are cracking the whip on," he said.
"I think they're getting it right.
"Over the last couple of years, I felt like there wasn't the right players in the back-line, or they weren't finishing and doing their roles to what the coaches were expecting, the fans as well.
"But I feel like this is a great back-line and if they do get into the finals, they can shake up a few teams.
"It would be good to see them in the finals."