Past Elijah Taylor - delisted 2020

[Kennedy Parker]

Mod Note:

I've removed a large number of posts from the last day or so that is mainly speculation without any factual basis and broader discussion on the issue of DV.

I want to bring this thread back on track and reiterate the scope of the discussion to be:
*new developments in the Taylor case as more facts get reported
*ramifications of such facts on Taylor's future at the club and the Swans
*subsequent actions the Swans should take

If you want to talk about the sociology around the issue of DV more generally there's sure to be many appropriate threads on the Society, Religion, Politics board.

Society, Religion and Politics

A board for grown-ups.

www.bigfooty.com

There's no reason for oppo posters to be weighing in here, there's a thread on the main board about the exact same topic.

Scandal - Elijah Taylor charged with assault of girlfriend.

Her insta

www.bigfooty.com

From here on posts that are simply speculating without any factual backing are going in the bin. This includes:
*any posts speculating on the outcome of Taylor's guilt/innocence - he's presumed innocent until found guilty, we know as it stands there are serious allegations of DV against him, there's going to be a hearing on September 30. Without further fact and information, no one's in a position to make a more enlightened view.
*any posts theorising the girl 'attention-seeking' or making false claim for some other reason - without any supporting facts it's completely unfair to be making that sort of character assessment. A DV allegation is a serious claim and there's no business in dismissing it until the facts arise to counter it.

 

[Crust]

Swans are in a really difficult position here.
First time in court is 30/9. I assume ET is getting legal advice right now. May not yet have the prosecution brief.
Either way I'm guessing it's doubtful he enters a plea on 30/9.
So let's assume he later pleads guilty. That might be before the end of the year - but after the draft etc. He could be cut then - but at that time Swans have no access to a replacement.
Let's now assume he pleads not guilty. I don't know of the Court delays in Perth, but I guess it won't be heard until next year. He has to be committed for trial first.
He is contracted until the end of 2021, so how can the Swans cut him? What if he's cut and then found not guilty?
Brett Stewart springs to mind.
Or do the Swans keep him on the list and refuse to re-contract him at the end of next year?
Do the Swans apply a lesser standard of proof and decide on that basis?

 

[Angry Red Bull]

That's rubbish. Recidivist rates show how useless prison is at reform. More likely to turn a silly kid into an accomplished criminal.
Football offers a chance of growth and redemption. Tragically, Elijah would seem to have burnt too many bridges.
Barry Hall was accused of domestic violence, and performed actual violence on the footy field. He would not have had a career in the current social media age. Yet many on here reckon he's a good bloke. I think football saved him from ending up in prison.

Yeah I wasn’t really supporting rehabilitation. rather responsibility and accountability lesson

 

[Heeney2Franklin]

Swans are in a really difficult position here.
First time in court is 30/9. I assume ET is getting legal advice right now. May not yet have the prosecution brief.
Either way I'm guessing it's doubtful he enters a plea on 30/9.
So let's assume he later pleads guilty. That might be before the end of the year - but after the draft etc. He could be cut then - but at that time Swans have no access to a replacement.
Let's now assume he pleads not guilty. I don't know of the Court delays in Perth, but I guess it won't be heard until next year. He has to be committed for trial first.
He is contracted until the end of 2021, so how can the Swans cut him? What if he's cut and then found not guilty?
Brett Stewart springs to mind.
Or do the Swans keep him on the list and refuse to re-contract him at the end of next year?
Do the Swans apply a lesser standard of proof and decide on that basis?

Innocent or guilty using Stewart as evidence "accusations in this nature really do destroy a man life and career" it can be a very scary thing.

Innocent or Guilty Elijah Taylor life will never be the same again.

 

[Kapers]

In an era of list cuts, Someone has to go for Elijah to stay. What if it is Zac Foote, a kid who devotes his entire heart and soul to being the best AFL player and person he can be. Zac had a tough upbringing as well but I have nothing but respect for how he has taken control of his life. He does the extras. Yes the swans, like any employer should look after Elijah. But the swans did not cause him to behave that way. In fact they went out of their way to help him change. Did you know he lived with Buddy. Do you know Kirk would go and pick him up and take him to pre-season training because he kept sleeping in. I am sorry, but I am with the Zac Footes, not the Elijahs. I can assure you the young swans players are looking closely to see whether the club will side with the Zacs or get seduced by the obvious talent of Elijah. Think of how many resources Elijah is using up. Lawyers, psychs, coaches, welfare. These could be used for the rest of the team. I would terminate his contract on the basis he is not mature enough to play AFL or to be employed in the role of an AFL player at this time. Yes he can get ongoing support, but nothing is stopping him playing WAFL and getting an AFL gig later.

I think this is such an important point. We get annoyed at Clarke or Bell or Foot, or even players from our past like Rose or Towers.
Being delisted is a reality to most players, even more never make it to a list. It's very hard to argue that Elijah deserves a spot even if he is innocent. The fact that he could also be guilty makes it impossible for me to feel okay watching a bloke like Foot leave and Taylor stay.

On that note, it's also important to see what can be done for Elijah, not only for Elijah's sake, but for whoever is with him next.

People talk about Barry being saved from prison, but someone out there was saved from Barry if that makes sense.

 

[Ralphyboy]

Swans are in a really difficult position here.
First time in court is 30/9. I assume ET is getting legal advice right now. May not yet have the prosecution brief.
Either way I'm guessing it's doubtful he enters a plea on 30/9.
So let's assume he later pleads guilty. That might be before the end of the year - but after the draft etc. He could be cut then - but at that time Swans have no access to a replacement.
Let's now assume he pleads not guilty. I don't know of the Court delays in Perth, but I guess it won't be heard until next year. He has to be committed for trial first.
He is contracted until the end of 2021, so how can the Swans cut him? What if he's cut and then found not guilty?
Brett Stewart springs to mind.
Or do the Swans keep him on the list and refuse to re-contract him at the end of next year?
Do the Swans apply a lesser standard of proof and decide on that basis?

I agree it is very tricky for the swans. Their role is to look at the behavior through the lens of an employment contract. The contract will have clauses around the bringing of the code and club into disrepute. I would speculate that Elijah received a documented warning after the quarantine breach that any further poor behaviour may result in dismissal. The Sydney based alleged assault was prior so it couldn't count. But depending on his behaviour at this pub, eg was he very drunk, did he go looking for trouble etc, may result in termination of emplyment regardless of any court outcome.

 

[bedford]

I understand your point of view but I’ll agree to disagree. Let’s just hope it’s all resolved quickly with the least amount of damage to our brand as possible

Welcome back , my god your going to have fun !

 

[Jewelsbon]

Guilty or innocent, that is one extremely toxic relationship.

 

[Wheresbuddy]

Yeah I'm not debating him losing his spot on the list. That's a no brainer. But we as a football club have the rare position of having the people and the resources to try and make him a better person. One less abusive man out in society is still a win, and I'd be disappointed if we didn't feel obliged to help him. Not for Elijah's sake, but for society's sake.

We lost ?25k from our soft cap because of him. That could be an advisor gone because of him, perhaps one of our recently retired favourites. Or one of our support staff (I'll be pissed if Courtney our chef gets cut, one of my MasterChef favourites). I think we've used / lost enough resources because of him.

 

[bedford]

We lost ?25k from our soft cap because of him. That could be an advisor gone because of him, perhaps one of our recently retired favourites. Or one of our support staff (I'll be pissed if Courtney our chef gets cut, one of my MasterChef favourites). I think we've used / lost enough resources because of him.

Can i ask , how does MasterChef come into this.

 

[Wheresbuddy]

Can i ask , how does MasterChef come into this.

Well it doesn't really, ignore the cross reference. The point is though he has cost us significantly, will likely continue to in the short term, and in the climate of severe cost cutting during Covid, is someone we are unlikely able to continue to use scarce resources in.

 

[Wolfgang West]

Can someone please fill me in. Taylor was being investigated already so is this a separate incident ?

 

[TheMase]

Can someone please fill me in. Taylor was being investigated already so is this a separate incident ?

Correct

Allegedly

 

[Dubai Quacker]

Correct

Allegedly

So the original allegations on social media related to alleged incident(s) in Sydney, but now he’s been charged with separate incident(s) that occurred in Perth?

oh boy.... this just gets worse and worse.

 

[Wolfgang West]

[QUOTE="TheMase, post: 66960861, member: 1840
Correct

Allegedly
[/QUOTE]


Thanks Mase. Allegedly aggravated assault on a teenager. He has been charged so the coppers must have enough to take it to court. Regardless of the outcome he needs to be shown the door as soon as possible. A poor decision to take him in the draft it would seem as he already had baggage in that regard. Trouble with the law i mean not assaulting females. You would think a kid with redeemable qualities would have pulled his head in after the covid breech then the instagram allegation. No he goes and gives the girl another whack. Allegedly.

 

[BruceFromBalnarring]

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Take the allegations seriously, but treat them cautiously.

 

[FreeTK]

He's a WA journo, bit of a nothing tweet, but he is very good with his info.

 

[Dubai Quacker]

He's a WA journo, bit of a nothing tweet, but he is very good with his info.

It will be a carefully worded holding statement.

 

[Angry Red Bull]

the fact he is dumb enough to go anywhere near her again astounds me. He is dragging the club through the mud. I would rather they got rid of him as soon as possible.

The fact that BOTH decided to hook up again is astounding !!!

So how do you go from calling him a dog to sleeping with him again within a week? why? Crazy

 

[elastic]

Interesting that the incident had occurred some time previously. Obviously after breaking up, she has decided to pursue the matter. I'm not sure how I feel about that.

I didn't want to get in a discussion about DV on a footy forum but I want to clarify that we should have a zero tolerance for DV. That includes zero tolerance within a relationship. If something has happened, then it's a shame that it has only come out much later, rather than being dealt with straight away.

 

[Dubai Quacker]

I guess if others have Elijah strung up on what’s before us so far I can express that I’m sensing a strong smell of cooked rabbit in this.

The club should have taken him to Cairns. Not every bloke achieves maturity at 18.

Realistically, I doubt they could have taken him to Cairns.

In indigenous culture, the directives of family/mob holds far more importance than any employer. I’m pretty sure he’d have been instructed to stay home.

In any event, the Swans aren’t a babysitting club & who knows how furious his teammates were with him.

 

[FreeTK]

LOL!

So are you referring to the dark shadows under her eyes?

Plenty have such

No black eye or obvious violence there!
You can google the causes separately. Or look at earlier happier photos and compare?

 

[caesar88]

Yeah, he's done.

Will either be playing in the WAFL next year or will be behind bars. Swans career over before it really started.

 

[Corpuscles]

Thanks for posting
I think it was posted before, but this time I watched it.

 

[BruceFromBalnarring]

Realistically, I doubt they could have taken him to Cairns.

In indigenous culture, the directives of family/mob holds far more importance than any employer. I’m pretty sure he’d have been instructed to stay home.

In any event, the Swans aren’t a babysitting club & who knows how furious his teammates were with him.

One of the worrying things about AFL level culture (the Leading Teams thing let’s say) is its presumption of readiness rather than the necessity for tolerance (except for the very best).

Too many boys, and boys they are, are cast onto the scrap heap too quickly for perceived social or disciplinary weaknesses.

I don’t know whether Elijah is a brute or a dumb victim. If he’s a dumb victim then the club and players are duty bound to get around him and rebuild him.

 

[SeanM]

It seems like he has been poorly advised. All he had to do was stay away from his ex girlfriend.

It seems like the initial allegations occurred in Sydney at the start of the year. So there was a lower likelihood of charges being laid and easier to dispute her version of events. But whether Elijah is guilty or not, he has unnecessarily involved himself in a new incident.

He is lucky he has a contract for next year. Otherwise he might have been delisted for poor off field decision making. Many young players work hard and sacrifice a lot to get onto a AFL list. So the club is not going to look favourably on someone who keeps wasting his opportunities when deciding who to give a final list spot to.