From WAG to star: How supermum Bec keeps the Young surname going

Bec Young swapped the WAG life with husband and former Newcastle player Michael Young in 2012 and hasn't looked back.

Mick played 20 games for the Hunter club in the mid-2000s alongside names that include Andrew Johns and Danny Buderus.

Now he's swapped the boots for a coaching gig, helping drive women's rugby league in Newcastle.
But how does Bec react when Mick needs to lay down the law on the football field to get the girls fired up for a game?

"Oh yeah, he doesn't shy from telling me what he thinks when he's coach," Young laughed telling NRL.com.

"We're alright though. That's the only atmosphere where he can boss me around. He knows I'm the boss at home and every other time. We've learnt when it comes to footy we must separate that.

"Mick drives me to be the best player and person that I can."

The truth is, without rugby league, the pair wouldn't have met.

Mick was taking part in work placement studying to be a youth worker while he was under contract at the Knights – a job he continues with today more than a decade since retiring from the NRL.

"I was running a youth centre and he started his placement. I was his boss for that as well," Young said, laughing again.

"We started to see each other from there and got married in 2007 and have had two kids Jarrah and Colebee.

"We always laugh because I was the WAG (wives and girlfriends) but he's the HAB (husband and boyfriend) now. It was interesting dating a footballer and part of the reason why I want the Knights to have a women's rugby league team down the track.

"I understand the values they've got as a club and how traditional it is. Being a partner you're in and around that in the community."

The Knights were not in a position financially to apply for a women's NRL licence for the inaugural season but the area remains a strong catchment target for clubs with several representative players hailing from the Hunter and Central Coast regions.

"I said to Mick a few years ago we need to start rugby league in Newcastle for young girls and women," Young said.

"We just loved it and he was still playing club football at that stage. We've been in contact with the Knights and would hope that we've got the girls there coming through, that we're able to push it to the next level one day.

"It's a genuine opportunity that I think they'll need to jump on board with soon. To think the kids could say that both her mum and dad have played for the Knights one day, that would be the icing on the cake."

At 36, Young is showing no signs of slowing down with the help of modified strength and conditioning programs catered to her busy life.

She'll line up for New South Wales in the women's Holden State of Origin on June 22.

"I do it for my kids and family – it's all the self-motivation I need," Young said.

"It doesn't come on a platter. I want to teach them you've got to work hard if you want it.

"I'm still really enjoying my footy and that's the most important thing. As long as that's still there I'll keep going."