Player Watch #22: Taylor Goad - the Unicorn

[giantroo]

Welcome Goady!!!

 

[giantroo]

 

[giantroo]

Get excited: Watch new Roo Taylor Goad in action

Watch the best of 2023 draft selection Taylor Goad

www.nmfc.com.au

 

[giantroo]

Five things to know about Taylor Goad

Get to know North Melbourne's No.20 selection in the 2023 AFL Draft

www.nmfc.com.au

1. He was heading for the NBA until 12 months ago​

We can thank Goad's best mate Tom Wheaton for the big man's decision to pursue Australian Football. A dual-sport athlete, Goad was wavering on a U.S. college basketball career as recently as November 2022, when Wheaton passed on the number of South Adelaide's talent manager Mark Clayton. A productive conversation followed and Goad was invited to join the Panthers' pre-season sessions, where he quickly impressed. Twelve months later, he is an AFL player.

2. He's lightning fast for a big man​

At 206cm, Goad will be comfortably the tallest player on North Melbourne's list, ahead of fellow ruck prospects Tristan Xerri

38

Tristan Xerri

Age

27

Ht

202cm

Wt

99kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

5.5

1star

K

3.0

1star

HB

2.5

2star

CL

1.0

3star

HO

2.5

5star

D

5.5

1star

K

3.0

1star

HB

2.5

2star

CL

1.0

3star

HO

2.5

5star

D

5.5

2star

K

3.0

1star

HB

2.5

3star

CL

1.0

3star

HO

2.5

5star

(202 cm), Callum Coleman-Jones

21

Callum Coleman-jones

Age

26

Ht

200cm

Wt

104kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.0

3star

K

6.0

2star

HB

7.0

4star

M

3.0

3star

T

5.0

5star

G

0.0

1star

No current season stats available

D

13.0

4star

K

6.0

3star

HB

7.0

5star

M

3.0

3star

T

5.0

5star

G

0.0

1star

(200 cm) and Hamish Free (203 cm). Surprisingly, he'll also be among the quickest. He ran sub-three seconds in the 20m sprint in SANFL testing, and again at the national Draft Combine, placing him in the top 10 fastest prospects. The SANFL sprint, he said, is "when I first started getting compared to other people and I realised it's a massive X-factor of mine that not many rucks have."

3. His follow-up work is impressive​

In South Adelaide's under-18 premiership campaign Goad averaged 21 hitouts per game, but it was his work at ground level which had recruiters viewing him as a first-round draft selection. He averaged 10.4 disposals, earning comparisons to Melbourne's Max Gawn

11

Max Gawn

Age

34

Ht

209cm

Wt

110kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.1

4star

K

7.4

3star

HB

6.7

4star

CL

2.8

4star

HO

35.3

5star

D

18.5

4star

K

11.5

4star

HB

7.0

4star

CL

3.5

4star

HO

29.2

5star

D

8.4

3star

K

3.6

2star

HB

4.8

4star

CL

1.0

3star

HO

15.6

5star

. "I pride myself on the second and third efforts," Goad said. "Tap, follow-up, then if it's not a possession it's a tackle or a bump."

4. He's got an upside nearly as big as his frame​

With only a single season under his belt in a full-time football environment, the McLaren Vale product has been on a steep learning curve, and his hunger to learn suggests there is plenty more improvement to come. On joining the SA U18s program "he was a bit shy and raw and almost overwhelmed by the whole thing," coach Tony Bamford told AFL.com.au. "By the end of it, my god. He was just a sponge. From an educational viewpoint, he was always looking for clarity and coming to us seeking further information. He was thirsty for knowledge."

5. 'A midfield mindset in a Max Gawn

11

Max Gawn

Age

34

Ht

209cm

Wt

110kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.1

4star

K

7.4

3star

HB

6.7

4star

CL

2.8

4star

HO

35.3

5star

D

18.5

4star

K

11.5

4star

HB

7.0

4star

CL

3.5

4star

HO

29.2

5star

D

8.4

3star

K

3.6

2star

HB

4.8

4star

CL

1.0

3star

HO

15.6

5star

body'​

Having begun to fill out his lanky frame, Goad is already on his way to competing at the elite level at the stoppages. His determination to work on the more mobile aspect of his game is what could make him an even more valuable prospect for the Kangaroos. "The thing that caught me straight away was that for a big fella, he was wanting to engage in all sorts of activities at training," Bamford said. "He wanted to do as much groundball stuff as marking." A brilliant gather and goal from the pocket in SA's under-18s game against Vic Country underlined Goad's athleticism. When he adds endurance to his pace, he is going to take some stopping.

 

[giantroo]

Reserved

 

[giantroo]

 

[noobermensch]

 

[The acurate one]

CCJ & Xerri not impressed by this selection.

 

[showusyacunningt]

TG. Goady.

 

[B4Bear]

Good.

CCJ & Xerri not impressed by this selection.

Competition from the young and hungry is what we want.

 

[Mav]

CCJ & Xerri not impressed by this selection.

Mav is!

 

[deedog2]

Hope he's the next Gawn!

 

[bennymate]

206cm ruckman... why?

 

[CURVE]

Welcome to North Taylor.

 

[Liam Boy]

Tallest Roo since Spider Burton isn't he?

edit: never mind I forgot Braydon Preuss

11

Braydon Preuss

Age

30

Ht

207cm

Wt

118kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

9.1

2star

K

6.1

2star

HB

3.1

3star

CL

1.9

4star

HO

20.9

5star

No current season stats available

D

9.8

3star

K

5.4

2star

HB

4.4

4star

CL

2.4

5star

HO

26.2

5star

. Same height

 

[roomagic1984]

Goadstein

 

[Only Forwards]

Gets 22 surely.

 

[Roostorm]

The Big Goad…..welcome big fella …here’s to an awesome career.

 

[Arthur Cloke]

Using pick 20 on a 206cm kid - you gotta be kidding Brady.

 

[Liam Boy]

Using pick 20 on a 206cm kid - you gotta be kidding Brady.

that's 0.0970873786407767cm per pick. shocking numbers

 

[DuckYeah]

 

[Mixed Results]

It's poetic to draft a player from South Adelaide with Port's first-rounder that they gave to us for Horne-Francis. The laws of karma dictate that he'll become a gun.

 

[DunderHead]

It's poetic to draft a player from South Adelaide with Port's first-rounder that they gave to us for Horne-Francis. The laws of karma dictate that he'll become a

Goad to Wardlaw a zillion times. that would be sweet.

 

[Dan]

Crows board were pissed...



Welcome aboard Taylor.....you're now my favourite ruckman at North.

 

[shinboner magic]

Nice pick
Has a motor and quick off the mark - just strength and size is needed , you’ve got four months