Australian Football

After playing initially for TFL side New Norfolk Jason Taylor was recruited by Fitzroy but struggled to make an impression, at least in part because he felt homesick. Between 1986 and 1991 he managed just seven senior appearances and four goals. However, at his next port of call, the Hawthorn Football Club, it would appear that he came into his own almost immediately, playing 20 games in his debut season. Mainly utilised at centre half forward, he was strong, mobile and good overhead, but appearances can be deceptive, for the consensus was that Taylor only intermittently made the most of his undoubted talent. Capable of the challenging and the spectacular, he sometimes erred when attempting simple tasks such as passing the ball to an unmarked team mate 30 metres away. Nevertheless, from 1992 to 1996 he played 80 AFL games for the Hawks and booted 30 goals, figures which strongly suggest that the club hierarchy believed he was worth persevering with. In the end though he was de-listed.

Collingwood duly picked him up, but he failed to fire, and, after a 1997 season which yielded just four goalless appearances, his AFL career was over.

Jason Taylor’s father Noel also played for New Norfolk as well as once in the VFL for Hawthorn.

Author - John Devaney