Harry Taylor in 2008
Geelong Cats
| Harry Taylor | ||
Harry Taylor in 2008
|
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| Personal information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Harry Taylor | |
| Date of Birth | 12 June 1986 | |
| Place of Birth | Western Australia | |
| Recruited from | East Fremantle (WAFL) | |
| Draft | 17th overall, 2007 Geelong Cats |
|
| Height/Weight | 193cm / 91kg | |
| Position | Defender | |
| Club information | ||
| Current club | Geelong | |
| Number | 7 | |
| Playing career1 | ||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) |
| 2008 – | Geelong | 21 (3) |
| ¹ Playing statistics to end of 2008 season. | ||
| Career highlights | ||
Harry Taylor III (born 12 June 1986) is an Australian rules footballer for the Geelong Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).
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Taylor attended boarding school in Geraldton before moving to Perth in 2004 to pursue a possible career in the AFL. To help prepare himself for life as a footballer, Taylor worked for a year as a bricklayer to try and gain muscle which would ultimately help him as an AFL footballer.[1]
He is a mature age player who spent three seasons, and played 48 games for East Fremantle in the WAFL. Taylor finished third in the East Fremantle Sharks best and fairest in 2007. Before being drafted Taylor was studying physiotherapy at university, and had never left his home state of Western Australia.[2]
Taylor was considered a surprise selection at pick 17 in the 2007 draft because of his age. Taylor made his debut for the Cats in the first round of the 2008 NAB Cup against Melbourne, in a highly impressive display in defence. He can play at either end of the ground as a key position player, but has made his mark at CHB though he has shown his versatility by kicking three goals in his debut season.
Taylor's football superstition is to wear zinc cream during every game regardless of the weather, however in his first game at Telstra Dome he did not wear it in fear of attracting too much attention.[1] He has been known to take notes on each opponent he plays on in a bid to help improve his game.[1]
In the heritage round clash against Melbourne, Taylor was forced to wear a guernsey with the number 85 on it as opposed to his usual number 7 guernsey. After changing his guernsey twice due to the blood rule there were no spare number 7 guernseys left and he could not return to the field until he was wearing a clean guernsey. It is still unclear why there was a spare number 85 guernsey.
Taylor made his finals debut in the quarter finals against St Kilda.
He credits his outstanding first season to the fact that he has an established backline around him and talented teammates who he can learn from.[3] However, opposition teams have described Taylor as the weakest link in the Geelong backline due to his inexperience. Geelong coach, Mark Thompson, has shown great faith in Taylor, stating that he will be with the Geelong Football Club for a very long time.[4] Taylor's impressive debut season was recognised when he was awarded Geelong's Best first-year player award.[5][6]
Taylor lives alone in Geelong,[7] before being drafted he had never been to Geelong and could not locate it on a map.[2] He is fascinated with World War II which lead him to start drinking Cognac and to start watching WWII inspired TV series, Band of Brothers, which he sometimes watches before a game to draw inspiration from.[7] Taylor dislikes metropolitan life, as there are "too many people up there" for his liking.[8][9]
| Season | Team | No. | Games | Goals | Behinds | Kicks | Marks | Handballs | Disposals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Geelong | 7 | 21 | 3 | 0 | 157 | 96 | 170 | 327 |
| Totals | 21 | 3 | 0 | 157 | 96 | 170 | 327 | ||
| Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Joel Selwood |
Geelong Football Club Best First Year Player Award 2008 |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
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