Eastern Ranges prospect Xavier Taylor on choosing sports school over elite private school and his rise into the top-10
Xavier Taylor has tattoos, worked in a factory this year and starts every sentence with “yeah, nah”. He a prospect unlike any other at the pointy end of the AFL draft — and clubs are smitten.
There is a perception a prospect is more likely to get drafted into the AFL if they attend an elite private school.
Eddie McGuire said as much on Footy Classified in September.
“I have a real fear that our game is becoming a private school game,” McGuire said.
The rise of Eastern Ranges defender Xavier Taylor, firmly in the sights of Richmond and Essendon inside the top-10, is proof that you can take your game to another level without taking up a private school scholarship.
As is common for promising talents coming through the ranks, Taylor met with a school from the prestigious Associated Public School (APS) competition, which AFL recruiters flock to each week.
The classy and ultra-competitive 191 centimetre backman, who graduated school last year, passed up that offer and instead moved to public school Rowville Secondary College midway through Year 10 to join Rowville Sports Academy, led by dual Essendon premiership player Essendon Darren Bewick.
Taylor regards the decision as one of the best in his life to date, and it didn’t come without risk despite the program boasting an AFL alumni of Cooper Hynes, Christian Moraes, Nick Watson (who also attended Caulfield Grammar), Caleb Windsor, Connor Macdonald (also attended Haileybury) and Jake Soligo in recent years.
His Ranges teammate and fellow-first round prospect Lachy Dovaston was one of the few people he knew from the school, and he was in the year level below.
But the leap of faith paid off handsomely.
“I only went there halfway through year ten and it was a big move for me. I’ve never done anything like that before in my life and didn’t really know anyone,” Taylor said.
“So going there not knowing many people and it was probably the best thing I’ve ever done.
“Like, I’ve walked out with a big group of 20-plus mates and still see them regularly and talk to them and great bunch of blokes. It was the best thing – not only footy, but that side of it as well.
“But those extra tough session during the week and that were pretty good for me for sure.”
Taylor is the first to admit he isn’t the private school type.
Laid-back and “a bit of a larrikin”, Taylor sports a couple of piercings, two tattoos on his forearm – one of them a spider – and starts just about every sentence with, ‘Yeah, nah’.
Taylor completed his VCE vocational major, where he specialised in carpentry, last year and has been working in a factory and at Kilsyth Basketball Stadium while rising up draft boards.
“I’m not going to sit here and say I would have done well at a private school with the ties and all the academics stuff like that,” Taylor said with a smile.
“So I don’t think it was for me, and happy with the decision I made.
“Yeah, nah, just doing little bits and pieces (this year) of nightkeeping, make a bit of coin.
“But I’ve been working in a factory, so just doing that two or three times a week. Pretty cruisy stuff, nothing too serious. Gives me a bit more time to focus on footy as well, which is handy, a bit of an advantage I reckon.”
The East Ringwood product pointed to his premiership winning Eastern Ranges side as further evidence that you can enhance your draft standing outside the APS and Associated Grammar Schools (AGSV) competitions.
Sullivan Robey (Mazenod College), Taylor, Dovaston (both Rowville Sports Academy), Oskar Taylor (St Joseph’s College) – no relation to Xavier – and Marcus Krasnamdakis (Berwick College) could all be taken on the first night of the draft, having risen considerably in estimations through their form at Coates Talent League level.
Ollie Greeves is another Ranges first-round contender, but is the only one of the six at an APS school in Caulfield Grammar.
Robey has had private education at Mazenod College, but it was the powerful midfielder-forward’s form with Rowville in the Eastern league and then Talent League dominance that kickstarted his meteoric rise.
Like Robey, Oskar Taylor didn’t feature for Vic Metro and also attended a private school in St Joseph’s College, which competes in the Associated Catholic College (ACC) competition. But the blistering defender but has shot up with an eye-catching back-end of the season with the Ranges.
“Definitely don’t have to go to a private school. I mean, out of the Eastern boys, I think ‘Greeva’ is the only one that played APS footy,” Xavier Taylor said.
“It just shows, look at Oskar Taylor and ‘Sully’. They didn’t even play Metro and they’re looking like top 20-25 picks.
“So it’s pretty impressive and just shows if you’re good enough, people will notice and play good footy, good things will happen.”
Taylor has done just that in 2025.
Not getting picked in the under-17 futures match on AFL grand final day last year or the AFL Academy, Taylor set himself up with a big pre-season and just tried to play his role each and every week.
His team-first approach has proved to be effective, shutting down a host of dangerous forwards while also breaking the game open when he has the Sherrin in his hands.
“Went away in pre-season and did a lot of work, and I’ve known what I was capable of,” Taylor said.
“And just going out trying to be confident and just putting my best foot forward every game and just enjoying it.
“Always try to strive for the competitive side of it, and it gets me into the game as well. So pretty competitive in that sort of sense.”
The hybrid defender was rewarded with the best-on-ground medal in their Talent League grand final win, showcasing his exceptional reading of the play, lateral movement and pinpoint kicking with 25 disposals, 21 kicks at (91 per cent efficiency), 15 marks, seven intercept possessions (four of those marks) and 160 SuperCoach points.
Taylor enjoyed the celebrations by the sounds with his tight-knit Ranges teammates.
“A couple of good days after the granny,” he said with a laugh.
“It was just such a good, close group. And we just really wanted (to win) the granny.
“We didn’t want to all individually play well, we just wanted to have a team win. And I think off that when the team’s playing well and everyone’s playing well, you play well off that as well.”
Taylor had 16 club interview him at the combine – where he finished third in the agility run – and one asked if he would head to Tasmania on a $2 million per year contract.
His refreshingly honest answer?
“100%,” he recalled with a smile.
It appears 13 of those 16 clubs won’t get the chance to even consider him.
The Richmond fan is tipped to join his idol Nick Vlastuin at the Tigers with their two early choices – if not there, he is unlikely to get past Essendon’s consecutive selections that follow.
“At the start of the year, I wasn’t touted much at all,” Taylor said.
“So if you said to me at the start of the year you might be going top ten, I’d probably say you’re lying.
“But I’m not too fussed where I go, what number I go. But just obviously just try to strive for high as you can and whatever happens, happens with it.”
While that ascent could mess with the heads of some teenagers, the level-headed and loveable larrikin has taken it in his stride.
Taylor’s persona should not only see him succeed at the next level, but also endear him to footy fans.
“It can get a bit sometimes, but just try to surround myself with the people that matter to me. And they’re the only voices I need to listen to,” Taylor said.
“Just trying to enjoy it a bit, not taking it too seriously. At the end of the day, it’s just a game and whatever happens, happens.
“It’s when I’m playin’ me best footy when I’m just doing what I do and just enjoying it. So not trying to do anything special and not trying too much.”
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Originally published as Eastern Ranges prospect Xavier Taylor on choosing sports school over elite private school and his rise into the top-10
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