Harry Taylor to be remembered as a Geelong great
Retiring Geelong champion Harry Taylor is going out without fuss or fanfare but premiership teammate Cameron Mooney believes the champion defender should be remembered as a modern great.
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Retiring Geelong champion Harry Taylor should be remembered as one of the best defenders of the modern era, says premiership teammate Cameron Mooney.
Taylor slipped into retirement over the weekend just as ex-teammates Matthew Scarlett and Corey Enright did — without fuss or fanfare.
But Mooney said the quirky backman should be ranked alongside the best key defenders this century.
“He’s been one of the best defenders the game’s seen in the last 20 years,” Mooney said.
“Him, (Alex) Rance, (Jeremy) McGovern, I put them in the top three in the last 10 or 15 years.
“He’ll go down as one of Geelong’s greatest.”
Without naming him, coach Chris Scott paid tribute to Taylor’s career in his best-and-fairest speech on Thursday night.
“There are some individuals who have just been so strong in the way in which they exit our club, that they don’t want any fanfare and they just want to ride off into the sunset,” Scott said.
“I couldn’t be prouder as a coach to have had so much to do with some of those senior players.”
West Australian Taylor arrived as a mature-age recruit and played 21 matches in his debut season, including the 2008 grand final defeat against Hawthorn.
He would go on to play against some of the best key forwards, including stopping Nick Riewoldt in the 2009 decider, in a 280-game career, which included two premierships and dual All-Australian honours.
“The one thing you can’t not say, he worked his arse off,” Mooney said.
“There wasn’t too many blokes I saw that worked harder on his craft and just worked harder in the gym, on the track, on his fitness, whatever it was.
“All the accolades he’s got or is getting are very well deserved.”
Taylor endeared himself to the football public with his unique personality, including stories of his passion for World War II, dossier on opponents, love of cognac, knowledge of capital cities and after-the-siren dash in the 2016 qualifying final against Hawthorn.
He also took up the piano when the season was shutdown and sported blonde hair for a few games this year.
“I am unique but I have always just done what I think works best to help my teammates and the Geelong Football Club,” Taylor wrote in a letter to Geelong members and supporters.
“I know myself and live by a vision. I strive to be a man of my word. Integrity and authenticity guide my path forward.
“I would have loved to have helped our great club win more games and more premierships, but I leave having fully committed to the process and the values of our organisation.
“I hope you have enjoyed laughing, yelling, crying, and moving your head both horizontally and vertically with me and at me over the past 13 years. Its been one hell of a ride.”
Originally published as Harry Taylor to be remembered as a Geelong great