Tim Taranto’s dad is the leader of the Giants’ Texan fan club
TIM Taranto’s father has only been to a handful of AFL games, but living in the US hasn’t stopped him from watching his son play footy, even though he gets confused by the game.
Mark Robinson
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WHEN his old man left Sydney to return to Texas after the Round 2 game against Collingwood, Tim Taranto need not worry about Dad not watching him play footy.
The world is tremendously small these days and Greater Western Sydney is available to everyone around the world via web streaming.
How many GWS members live in Dallas in America’s Lone Star State is anyone’s guess.
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There’s probably just the one and that would be Philip Taranto, the father of Tim, the proud wearer of orange and, not surprisingly, confused about what ruckmen do and why they are involved in so many free kicks.
Mum and dad met in Houston 20-odd years ago, dad came to Australia for a couple of years and then returned home, leaving mum and Tim two-out.
It reads as a challenging tale, but it’s not.
They grew up in Parkdale near Sandringham and mum now lives in South Melbourne.
“It’s been pretty much just us two for most of my life, or since I could remember,’’ Taranto said.
“She’s like a best friend I guess. I talk to her about everything, she helps me with everything and I definitely wouldn’t be here without her.
“She did an excellent job. We had a lot of help from my grandparents who lived not too far away. It was what I was used to growing up. I was happy, she was happy, it might’ve been easier if dad was over here for sure, but we’re both did really well and she’s doing really well.’’
Taranto, the No.2 draft pick in the 2016 national draft, is a starting inside midfielder for one of the flag favourites.
Mum — her name is Jess — is a full-time nurse at the Royal Children’s Hospital and recently completed her masters degree in Advance Nursing Practice — Perioperative Stream.
Mum is the No.1 fan of the Tim Taranto Fan Club and dad wouldn’t be far behind her.
He flew to Australia for his son’s first game, against Adelaide in Round 1 last year, and returned again after the bye rounds after Taranto injured his ankle which sidelined him for eight weeks.
His third “footy’’ trip saw him at the final JLT game and Rounds 1 and 2 this year.
“He loves his footy,’’ Taranto said.
“He’s definitely still learning, he’s learning every week.’’
He’s an international member of the Giants and invites a bunch mates around to watch the games via streaming “at all hours of the night’’.
“They all love it and he wishes it was played in America.’’
As a novice, he still gets confused by the game. But even as novice he’s picked up what many fans are confused by — ruck free kicks.
“Yeah, he gets confused about the rucks and how they go about it and some of the frees paid there. But he doesn’t look too deeply into it, he just watches to see if I get a kick or not,’’ Taranto said.
“He sheds a tear every time he leaves Australia, but he couldn’t be happier with my footy.’’
They text almost daily, FaceTime every week and even Taranto’s half brothers are enthralled by the game.
“They all wear the Giants merchandise and he wants me to send some more over it. He loves it, he wants as much as he get, he’s a bit of nerd,’’ he said.
Dad should be impressed.
Taranto played 14 games in his first season, including two finals, and has impressed coach Leon Cameron so much this season, he started inside the centre square against Fremantle last week.
Beside him was Dylan Shiel, Callan Ward and “the big horse’’ Dawson Simpson which he called surreal.
An inside mid with an elite tank, which is a rare combination, Taranto is shaping to be what is known as a footballer’s footballer.
He’s modelling his game on Ward and playing beside him drives his ambition.
“It makes me want to be like him and do the same things that he does. Hopefully I can get to his level one day,’’ he said.
The 19-year-old’s ability to run is brutal. His beep test record is 15.9.
The AFL leaders are Billy Hartung (16.06), Caleb Daniel (16.01), Bradley Hill (16.01), Jack Hiscox (16.01) and Will Hoskin-Elliott (15.12).
“I don’t know why but I’ve always been aerobically fit,’’ he said.
“I used to play a lot of wing as a junior because I was pretty skinny and I could just run so they put me on a wing. I’ve put on weight since I’ve got here, but I can still run so I’m pretty lucky.’’
He arrived at the Giants at 80kg and is now pushing 88kg.
“I’d love to be 90kg but I don’t think the club wants me to be that heavy.’’
A St Kevin’s graduate and a Sandy Dragons star, the Giants traded up to obtain pick No.2 and there’s nothing to suggest it was a wrong decision.
The welcoming news is a Taranto is not a “go-home’’ risk.
He wanted out of Melbourne for a ‘”fresh start’’ at footy and has found a balance of playing and studying economics at Sydney University.
“When I was 16 or 17, I thought footy was the only thing I could really do and wanted to be and nothing else mattered,’’ he said.
“Then I got a back injury and was out for six months and thought I had to find something else other that football.
“I don’t even know if I’ve found that yet (with uni) but I realised you can’t put all your eggs in the footy basket and when you do that, you seem to play better footy, that’s what I’ve found anyway.’’
The Giants shouldn’t worry, though, about him up stumping and exploring life.
“I’ve always had that want to be the best, play for as long as I can and win premierships, that’s my goal at the moment.’’
That and continuing to supply orange T-shirts, jumpers, hats and scarfs to a bunch of Texans who love Taranto and are loving Australian rules.
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Originally published as Tim Taranto’s dad is the leader of the Giants’ Texan fan club
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