Laurie Taylor (Australian footballer)

Infobox afl player | firstname = Laurie
lastname = Taylor


birthdate = 21 October 1918
birthplace =
originalteam = West Adelaide
heightweight = 188cm (6'2")/ 81.5kg (12st. 12lbs)
dead = dead
deathdate = 1981
deathplace =
debutdate = 1944
debutteam = Richmond
debutopponent =
debutstadium =
playingteams = Richmond (1944, 1947)

20 games, 48 goals
coach = notcoach
statsend = 1956
careerhighlights =

Laurie Taylor was an Australian rules footballer who played in the VFL in 1944 and in 1947 for the Richmond Football Club.

An inch taller than Jack Dyer, Taylor was a well-built centre-half forward, renowned for his strong marking.

War service

He served with the 2nd A.I.F in Borneo during World War II.

houlder disclocation

On 17 May 1947, Richmond was playing Hawthorn and Taylor was playing in the ruck. At the first bounce, Taylor punched the ball an amazing 40 Yards (approx 35 metres) and, at the same time, dislocated his shoulder. [Ross, 1996, p.178. Hawthorn went on to win the match 16.11 (107) to Richmond's 10.9 (69).]

The Taylor football family

Laurie's record as a player and as a coach is impressive:
* 1936-1937, West Adelaide Juniors
* 1937-1941, 1946, West Adelaide 44 games (127 goals)
* 1944, West Adelaide/Genelg: 1 game (1 goal)
* South Australian Interstate Team: 5 games (7 goals)
* 1944, 1947, Richmond: 20 games (48 goals, including five 5-goal matches)
* 1948-1949, Corowa, captain-coach. Also represented New South Wales in interstate football.
* 1950, 1952, Glenelg: 28 games (60 goals)
* 1951, Coolamon, captain-coach of premiership side.
* 1953, 1954, Narracorte, captain-coach, one premiership.
* 1955-1956, West Gambier, Captain-coach

His family were also steeped in football.
* John Taylor snr., his father, played 56 games with SANFL club Port Adelaide including their 1914 team which was unbeaten for the entire season.
* John Taylor jnr., his brother, played 258 games for SANFL clubs West Adelaide and Glenelg as both player and as captain-coach. He played for South Australia five times. He was the first SANFL player to play 250 games. [http://www.fullpointsfooty.net/t-u-v.htm#John%20Taylor%20(West%20Adelaide%20&%20Glenelg)]
* Don Taylor, his other brother, played 20 senior games for South Melbourne in 1942 and 1947, as well as 136 senior games for West Adelaide and Glenelg between 1939 and 1954. He played for South Australia nine times. He also coached West Adelaide in 1965. [http://www.fullpointsfooty.net/t-u-v.htm#Don%20Taylor%20(West%20Adelaide%20&%20Glenelg)]

Notes

References

* Hansen B: "Tigerland: The History of the Richmond Football Club from 1885", Richmond Former Players and Officials Association, (Melbourne), 1989. ISBN 0-731-65047-6
*Hogan P: "The Tigers Of Old", Richmond FC, (Melbourne), 1996. ISBN 0-646-18748-1
* Ross, J. (ed), "100 Years of Australian Football 1897-1996: The Complete Story of the AFL, All the Big Stories, All the Great Pictures, All the Champions, Every AFL Season Reported", Viking, (Ringwood), 1996. ISBN 0-670-86814-0

External links

* [http://stats.rleague.com/afl/stats/players/L/Laurie_Taylor1.html AFL Statistics: Laurie Taylor]