No. 7 Harry Taylor

[CatmanForever]

http://www.effc.com.au/images/profiles/HARRYTAYLOR.jpg
Harry Taylor
Height194cmWeight:90kg Birthday:12 June 1986
Position
Forward, Back
Trophies /AwardsGNFL Rising Star 2004 Drafted Pick 17
finished third in East Fremantle’s best & fairest and is a versatile player that can play at either end of the ground.

[rizzo]

Player Info

Versatile player who has appeared in a variety of positions at senior level with East Fremantle in the WAFL competition. High-possession winner who has a great work ethic. Excellent speed (2.91sec for 20m) and endurance (14.2 Beep Test).

[rizzo]

Who will be Crazy about Harry?
http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/6653/getfileaspxoi4.jpg


East Fremantle defender Harry Taylor heads a group of WAFL players who face a nervous wait as clubs ponder their draft prospects tomorrow.

Unlike many of their West Australian compatriots, Taylor, Swan Districts’ Luke Miles and Perth’s Cruize Garlett are facing tougher roads to the AFL.

Taylor is 21, has played 48 WAFL matches and finished third in the club’s best and fairest this season behind Theo Adams and Brownlow medallist Shane Woewodin.

At 193cm, Taylor is tall enough to play as a key defender but blitzed speed and endurance tests at last month’s State draft screenings to show he can play in the midfield if required.

Woewodin, who has gone from Sharks captain to coach after retiring at the end of the season, says the big man is among the most professional players he has seen. The former Melbourne and Collingwood star said Taylor could slot straight into the AFL as a dashing defender and deserved a chance at the elite level.

“I’ve had 10 years at AFL level and seen a few players go through who are outstanding with their professionalism, work ethic and willingness to look after their bodies and prepare,” Woewodin said. “Harry Taylor is in the upper echelon of those players. He’s extraordinary.

“I think clubs looked at him last year and thought another year of senior footy here would be good for his development. That was a great decision because he’s gone to another level.”

Miles won Swan Districts’ best and fairest this year and smashed speed records at the draft screenings to send recruiting staff scrambling for their notebooks.

Garlett’s talent is clear and he performed strongly at the under-18 national titles. But at just 172cm, he must convince clubs that his height isn’t a problem. Most clubs have steered clear of players under 180cm in recent years because they can play only a limited number of positions.

With Taylor and Miles in contention as mature-age recruits and 17-year-old Claremont midfielder Matt De Boer deciding to wait 12 months before nominating for the draft, West Coast recruiting manager Trevor Woodhouse said clubs would be silly to ignore players because they were no longer teenagers.

“Harry Taylor is 21,” Woodhouse said. “He’s finishing his physiotherapy course and he’s played in a number of positions for East Fremantle. There’s a strong belief that he could play at the top level next year.

“He came down from Geraldton at 18 or 19 and was a skinny fella. If he got drafted then, he might be on the scrapheap. It just shows that different players take time to develop.”

And Sydney coach Paul Roos joined the chorus of people calling for the minimum draft age to be lifted. The Swans have had only one pick in the top 30 in the past three years because they have traded away selections to get players from other clubs.

Sydney have two opportunities to get quality players this year but Roos said too many young players were drafted on potential rather than what they had actually achieved.

“It’s too much of a lottery,” the 2005 premiership coach said yesterday. “But that’s what you’re faced with and that’s the system you’ve got to work with. There’s just too much crystal-balling.

“We’ve done our own analysis on it but if you look at the players and their average games . . . it’s ridiculous.

“You’re going to have an early pick and you’re not guaranteed a bloke’s going to play more than 30 games. It’s just crazy. That could be addressed if it was older because you are speculating with a lot of them.

“Will he improve his running, will he get taller for the bigger guys? A lot of what the recruiters have to do is picture them in two years’ time.”

http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=12&ContentID=48074

[macca69]

You won't find a kid more dedicated to playing AFL. You can be very confident he'll get the best out of himself.

[rizzo]

You won't find a kid more dedicated to playing AFL. You can be very confident he'll get the best out of himself.

I've found myself very excited by this fella. Have heard rave reviews not just about his work ethic but his playing ability.

There is something about him that makes me think wells has pulled one out of the bag.

Reckon Harry's number will look good on my back in 08 ;)

[Reg Hickey]

I've found myself very excited by this fella. Have heard rave reviews not just about his work ethic but his playing ability.

There is something about him that makes me think wells has pulled one out of the bag.

Reckon Harry's number will look good on my back in 08 ;)

Thats the one thing I've heard nothing about - his playing ability. I know his speed and endurance testing were great, he's a good size, he is as professional and committed as they come, and he's a great bloke with bucketloads of character. But can he play??

[rizzo]

Thats the one thing I've heard nothing about - his playing ability. I know his speed and endurance testing were great, he's a good size, he is as professional and committed as they come, and he's a great bloke with bucketloads of character. But can he play??

Well i've dug out some stuff and have managed to put together Harry's stats sheet for the 2007 season. Uploadable here:

http://files-upload.com/files/640492/Harry%20Taylor.xlsx

Seems like he loves to kick the ball. Can take a mark and doesn't mind the odd goal.

Ill also add that he was only beaten twice by Masten and Palmer in terms of possesions

[rizzo]

Harry Taylor Justifies Pre Draft Hype

http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/images/uploadedfiles/editorial/pictures/2007/11/25/harry-taylor.jpg

IN the days leading up to the draft, Harry Taylor fielded a phone call from his mum Dianne in Geraldton wondering what all this hype in the media about him being drafted was all about.

"I just told her `it's all talk mum, don't worry about it','' he laughed after being taken with the Cats first-round pick on Saturday.

"I didn't tell them too much about it (the draft). Mum didn't have any idea, but she kept reading the odd thing in paper.''

A mature age recruit, the 21-year-old from East Fremantle heads to Skilled Stadium after playing the past three seasons in the WAFL.

As a running half-back in the mould of Darren Milburn, Taylor says with plenty of senior footy behind him he comes ready made for the Cats coaching staff.

"I was a late maturer. (When I came to Perth) I wasn't big enough or well developed enough to have an impact in the WAFL,'' he said.

"So I worked away at my body size and educated myself about the game and I've really developed at that.

"Since I was young I always wanted to be drafted but I didn't have the realisation I could make it until the last couple of years.''

Taylor, a deputy vice captain with East Fremantle this season, said his club had adopted the same open and confrontational leadership style Geelong employed this year.

"The boys take control of the leadership and you all get up in front of the group and the guys have their say about you,'' he said.

"The guys were saying to me that I was a really big chance of making an impact at this level (WAFL) and that I could even go to the next one.

"That really enhanced my self belief and that's when I really realised I could have a go (at the AFL).''

Taylor, who also fielded interest from Melbourne, Fremantle and Brisbane, said he wasn't looking at the difficulty of breaking into the senior team as a negative, but a great challenge that would make getting in all the more meaningful.

"It should be fine, although I haven't been to Geelong before. I don't even know where it is on the map,'' he said.

[Cat for Life]

http://gfc.com.au/portals/0/images/players/cats/taylor-140x200.jpg

About

The Cats’ first pick in last year’s NAB AFL Draft, Taylor joins the 2007 premiers virtually as a ready made player. At 21, he was slightly older than most of the early picks in the draft and boasts senior experience in the WAFL with East Fremantle. Can play in a variety of positions but is likely to be developed as a tall defender. A high possession winner and has excellent speed and endurance.


Records

Playing history
WAFL
East Fremantle: 48 games

Draft history

Selected by Geelong with the 17th pick in 2007 national draft

Awards Honours

East Fremantle
Third best and fairest 2007

http://gfc.com.au/TheClub/Players/PlayerProfile/tabid/8137/playerId/18314/teamId/30/typeId/2/Default.aspx

[Asty]

http://gfc.com.au/TheClub/Players/PlayerProfile/tabid/8137/playerId/18314/teamId/30/typeId/2/Default.aspx



Looks to be v.consistent which is good for a backman. only a couple of games down around 12-14 possessions usually in the 20-25 range. So long as he uses the ball might be very handy for the next 8-10 years with milburn probably only being around for a little while longer.

[CatmanForever]

Taylor handy pick-up
16 December 2007 Sunday Herald Sun
David Reed

GEELONG'S top draft pick, Harry Taylor, is nothing if not versatile.

On field, the 21-year-old is the prototype modern player - 194cm, with running power. He can play most positions from key defender to running midfielder.

Off the ground he is adept in many areas as well. The third-year physiotherapy student can fix your aches then build you a wall with his bricklaying skills.

Then he'll kick your behind in a game of golf off a handicap of seven, the same number as his new guernsey at the Cattery.

Taylor's lanky yet robust frame has already seen him likened to premiership stalwart Darren Milburn, although he spent plenty of time in the midfield for East Fremantle last season.

It comes as no surprise to folk in Western Australia, who are used to watching their sons leave home to make their mark on the AFL stage.

"I played for Northampton footy club when I was really young, a town north of Geraldton -- Paul Hasleby, Josh Kennedy, Daniel Chick are three of the best-known names from the area that play AFL," Taylor said.

"And when I moved down to Geraldton for school later on, I played for Rovers Football Club, the same club as (Eagles champion) Chris Mainwaring."

Taylor played colts, reserves and a few senior games as a 17-year-old for the country club and believes that experience and a solid stint at East Fremantle in the WAFL will give him a leg up as he strives to make it in the AFL.

"I played 48 league games for East Fremantle and that has helped me massively," Taylor said.

"I got to play on quite a few AFL players, whether they were past players or guys coming back from injury, and it has given me a grounding to go to that next level.

"And just being that bit older also helps fit in with the guys (at Geelong) a bit easier."

Taylor's journey to the AFL came more by happenstance than the classic pathway.

He moved to Perth several years ago more for a physiotherapy degree than for any dream of playing AFL.

"I wanted to have a crack at footy as well, but I didn't know how good I was or how I would go in Perth, it was more of an exploration to see how I fitted in," he said.

"David Dunbar was the coach and he pretty much said: 'We'll give you a go and see what you've got, if we like you we'll keep you'.

"I was a bit of a late maturer and only over the past couple of years have I started to develop physically and mentally enough to have the self confidence that I can make it at AFL level."

[Cat for Life]

Thanks for that Catman! I'm in the States at the moment till January so a bit slow on the updates.

[fugsy]

Played well tonight I thought :thumbsu:

[Barabbas]

Bet this thread seemed like a good idea at 4am fugsy. Nice one.:thumbsu::D

[fugsy]

Awwww...it got merged :(