Universal Love Harry Taylor calls time on his career

[cats_09]

And this says a lot about the guy, who just a couple of nights ago was joint winner of the Best Clubman award, as voted by teammates

• 

And a letter from Taylor to the members & supporters

Taylor: Its been one hell of a ride

Harry Taylor pens a letter to members and supporters to announce his retirement

www.geelongcats.com.au

 

[gaz love x]

We don't win the 2009 flag without him, that alone makes him a champion of the club, but then 11 fantastic seasons after that too. I thought he was finished after the plantar fascia injury but came back with two excellent seasons to finish off. For the most part did a great job on Lynch in his final game, a shame he doesn't have more to show for it.

 

[cats_09]

Wouldn't put it past him to have held off on this as not to detract any attention away from Ablett's farewell. If so, he's underselling himself and his importance to the club - the very definition of a champion. One of the premiere CHBs for the best part of a decade from the moment he walked into club.

That's what I said yesterday -

Part of me is going with the idea that Taylor is giving last week & this week to the retirement of Ablett and noise around that, and he'll then make an announcement in the next week or so

He's always seemed a bit quieter than others and not one for the spotlight - think announcing it in this manner would have been his suggest

 

[Larry Donohue]

Supported football for 60 years now and Harry Taylor is up there with the best CHBs I've ever seen.
A stellar career!

 

[Wojcinski]

A club legend, always reliable and hardly ever beaten. Congrats on a great career, enjoy the cognac and anthropology studies in retirement

 

[Sttew]

And one of the more interesting and quirky individuals.

Also one of the greatest draft coups - we lose AA CHB, Matthew Egan

Matthew Egan

Age

42

Ht

196cm

Wt

101kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.5

3star

K

4.8

2star

HB

5.7

4star

M

3.6

4star

T

1.2

3star

No current season stats available

D

7.0

2star

K

3.2

2star

HB

3.8

3star

M

2.4

3star

T

0.4

3star

, and Wells drafts Harry. A seamless transition

 

[Cursed Cat]

Quite a unique character in the footy world, and one of my all-time favourite players.

Left no stone unturned in the effort to get the best out of himself, always looked in terrific physical condition (even if the running style got more and more ragged as he went on) and took an unusually cerebral approach to his craft.
Best paddler in the comp for a while there; if KB was good at this kind of thing up forward for the Tigers late in his career, then Harry did it just as astutely in defense, dribbling the ball around expertly to either bide himself some time or simply find the boundary under pressure.

I'll genuinely miss him.

 

[r32godzilla]

Absolute legend. Love Harry! Professional through and through. Gave quite a few gun forwards a bath over the years. Enjoy retirement Harry, the Cats certainly won't be the same without ya! Going to be very hard to replace in the backline thats for sure.

 

[Vdubs]

Perfect timing Harry, which is so appropriate. From first game, replacing Egan, to last game. The in between games have given us much joy and stability.
Definitely close to our best ever #7, (tough call as Couchy also a favourite) and one of those players that in years to come will always bring a smile to your face just thinking about him.
Quirky, classy, and would be great to have around the place in some (?physio) capacity, but would not surprise if he returns to WA.

 

[Lockatronicus]

Absolute legend of the game. Will be missed not only by Geelong fans but footy fans in general.

 

[Whit3y]

Named my son Harry, that's how much I liked him

Well done Harry. I might have a drink of cognac tonight.

 

[iameviljez]

Great player - and a relief that he actually had a personality - but I am relieved that he didn’t go on another year. To be fair, I think he did go on a year too long.

 

[Hollow Knight]

Respect to Harry Taylor. Hell of a career.

Love the defenders who say little, shelve the ego and just do a clinical job week after week.

He’s a textbook example.

 

[Partridge]

Very few players genuinely slot into senior football immediately.

Debuted Round 2, 2008 v Essendon, and he actually did that. At 21 years of age (so technically "mature" compared to draftee age) he was instantly composed and ready for the top flight.

Not to mention durable. Played 21 games or more every single season from debut, except 8 games in 2018 due to injury, and this shortened season where he "only" managed 19. Pretty remarkable.

Right decision, timed it well. Great player for us.

 

[Mr_Bojangles]

Harry

My favourite ever cat and the only one to hail from my home town.

To put his achievements in to context East Fremantle deemed him not even good enough for their colts squad when 16 taking kids like Josh Kennedy. He was in Perth studying for his physio degree a couple of years lafter and wandered in to East Freo asking if could train with them for fitness. He impressed them so much he was finally given a crack and the rest his history. He has said that it was a good thing he was a mature age recruit as he was too light at 17 to play at any top level.

Was hoping he'd do one more and get to 300. His dad always used to come down from Northampton for the games in Perth bringing an esky full of crays for the players if they were here a couple of days before. Always approachable.

Like someone said above his job on Roo in 2009 doesn't get the credit it deserves although the weather helped a little. A shame probably the only reason he had such a career was the injury to Matty Egan but thems the breaks.

 

[Freezin]

As an East Fremantle fan I used to watch Harry play down at East Freo before he went to Geelong. I often thought why isn't this guy on an AFL list...more fool WCE and Freo....kudos to Geelong for taking a punt on a mature age draftee.....and here we are 13 years later celebrating his fantastic career.

To the Geelong fans thanks for taking Harry under your wing and letting the fella be himself quirks and all. Hopefully he comes back to East Freo for a last hurrah and mentors a few of EF young up n coming defenders for Geelong to recruit in years to come.

 

[StonedCat]

Enjoy your retirement, Harry, you've earned it. One of the true stalwarts of the last decade.

A lot of opposition forwards will sleep better tonight, oh wait....

 

[Sticksman]

Sad to think there'll be no more crowd call of "Harry!!!" as he rises to hold yet another pack mark. Wonderful player and a great person.

 

[Into The Black]

Great player - and a relief that he actually had a personality - but I am relieved that he didn’t go on another year. To be fair, I think he did go on a year too long.

Owned that flog Lynch in the GF.

 

[iameviljez]

Owned that flog Lynch in the GF.

Three quarters of it, yes - though Lynch got off the chain in the last. Even then, though, it was as a pure lockdown player. Compare to players like Grimes and Balta, who don’t just beat their man, but also affect other contests in the defence and win the ball. Like Harry used to.

 

[Nickoo]

Thanks Harry for a wonderful career. Brilliant just bloody brilliant!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Farmer2Goggin]

Thorough professional who brought meticulous preparation into each game , amazing career capped off with bowing out quietly out of the limelight.
Stands tall amongst the best of them from our golden era.
Quirky, dry sense of humour as well - from the sock ham to the unbridled run of joy post the Hawks final.

 

[cats_09]

This is why I love Swampy and the crazy info they have access to




And a couple of Harry & Joel stats



This one is from our match against Adelaide - obviously a taste of what we all knew would come, but goes to show how long we've been able to watch one but most often both running out in the hoops on a weekly basis


Our Round 11 2008 match was played on Friday 6 June, vs North at a Marvel for those curious

 

[Spazz Cat]

Been a great player. For some years one of the very best in the whole league.
Having watched some of his fishing videos I'm sure he'll very much enjoy his retirement.

 

[Shadow89]

Does what is best for the club, with minimal fuss, from first game to last. Will never be another personality like him - so intelligent, yet so humble, yet so off-centre in his humour.

Gonna miss ya H, but I daresay there'll be a coaching position/development/training
etc. at the club, waiting for ya if you want it.

All the best H, you will always be a great champion of our club