Ex-North Melbourne Kangaroo Taylor Garner opens up on post-AFL life in the ‘burbs

From the highs and lows of a nine-year AFL career, ex-North utility Taylor Garner talks life on the knockabout suburban footy scene in the Eastern league.

Taylor Garner played 49 games for North Melbourne from 2013-2021. Picture: AAP Image/Tracey Nearmy

ONLY one local club was ever going to do for ex-North Melbourne utility, Taylor Garner.

Some nine months out of the AFL system and the 28-year-old is relishing life in Melbourne’s suburban football scene, tearing it up for South Belgrave in the Eastern league’s Division 2 with his older brothers.

Fresh off a haul of 13.3 up forward last round, the star recruit has put away 26 majors from four matches to date.

He describes the transition as a refreshing change from the high stakes of the big-time, which yielded just 49 games (37 goals) in nine seasons owing largely to injury.

There was never a question over the former Dandenong Stingray’s talent after his no. 15 selection in the 2012 draft, but consistency on the park proved the major hurdle before his delisting at the end of 2021.

Flying Kangaroo: Garner soars before pulling in a beauty. Picture: George Salpigtidis

“I loved my time down at North Melbourne for the nine years,” Garner says.

“It’s certainly a big change – day in, day out, it’s footy, footy, footy, whereas heading back to EFL especially playing alongside my brothers is different.

“There’s a lot of politics in AFL, so it’s refreshing to have a calm state of mind all the time and being there having a kick with your mates.”

Making the switch hasn’t been without its challenges since landing back in the Eastern league late last year.

“Probably the expectation to perform (is challenging) – you’re the big-ticket item that they’ve put a bit of work into, so you don’t want to let them down,” Garner says.

“Initially you get back to local level and go ‘Geez, these boys aren’t bad here’, straight away you think it might be a bit harder than you expect.

“I don’t think any bloke pulls out of a contest – that’s one thing I’ve noticed. It’s see-ball, get-ball, very contested style of football.

“Even going forward, the proof’s in the pudding, I was a bit wary maybe the delivery wouldn’t be that good, but I can’t complain, it’s hit me on the chest a fair few times.”

While the emotions still stir, the former Rowville junior says he has no regrets post-AFL as he becomes content with life in the local ranks.

‘Frustration’: Injuries curtailed Garner’s nine-year AFL career. Picture: Michael Klein

“Frustration’s obviously the biggest one that comes to mind,” Garner says of his AFL career.

“The club were backing me in the whole way which is probably why I had such a long career for such minimal games.

“They backed me in, but I guess they couldn’t keep backing me in when I just kept falling apart … I think the talent was never the issue as well, it was just getting out there.

“It’s been good playing with the brothers and the ambition to play VFL isn’t very high at all.

“If it was going to be anything it would be the top level but I think that’s certainly passed by now which is OK as well.”

The near half-century of North games weren’t without their highlights.

He played before a pulsating 90,000-strong crowd at the MCG in September under the crucible-like pressure of a cut-throat final in 2015 – against his boyhood side Richmond, no less.

The stirring come-from-behind victory dumped the Tigers out of the finals in the opening week for a third straight year, with Garner netting 10 disposals and a crucial goal as the ‘Roos rattled home by 17 points.

Join in the chorus: Taylor Garner (right) belts out the song with Brent Harvey and Drew Petrie following the 2015 elimination final. Picture: AAP Image/Julian Smith

There’s nowhere to hide under the microscope of Australia’s sporting colosseum, but there is an escape from the free advice of the outer owing to the deafening noise.

There is no such luxury back in the knockabout ‘burbs, Garner says.

“I’d say that was probably one of my fondest moments playing AFL, that game … the crowd was so loud and we had a good win being the underdogs as well.

“But in comparison coming back down to local level, (the difference) is purely the fact you can hear what people say – someone’s giving you a hard time or taking the p--- out of you, you certainly hear everything they say, but all you can do is have a good laugh about it.”

As for the worst (or best?) sledge heard so far?

“‘You’re the worst Garner!’”

While that’s a stretch from the punter’s mouth, older brothers Damian and Mitch – 32 and 31 this year – are still more than handy footballers having won the Division 2 premiership with Rowville in 2012.

Key forward Damian continues to kick bags and ruckman Mitch terrorises opposition midfields on the regular, standing at some 200cm tall.

Mitch Garner of South Belgrave wins another hit-out this season. Picture: Hamish Blair

There’s plenty Garner says he owes his brothers – on and off the field.

“I’ve probably got them to thank for even just making AFL – the amount of times they whacked me over the head when I was just sitting on the couch minding my own business and then I’d flip my nut and start sprinting after them, that probably just built the hard edge in me, so I can definitely thank them for that.”

A young Damian Garner celebrates a goal in Rowville’s 2012 premiership win.

But his haul of 13.3 against Oakleigh District last round had him repaying brother Damian in ways only siblings could ever begin to understand.

“Damian kicked 11 goals last year (in a match) and I sort of knew I was getting close to that, so I maybe got a little bit selfish when it was around that mark wanting to get past that 11 goals!”

Among the light-hearted sibling rivalry bears a union on the field some three decades in the making, with the trio lining up in the same side for the first time on May 21.

The ex-Kangaroo wouldn’t have had it any other way when his papers were stamped at Arden St.

Only this time, no whacks over the head were needed to fuel the little brother’s fire as had been the case on the couch years earlier.

“It was certainly an overwhelming time with how many (clubs) reach out from across Australia,” Garner recalls after the curtain fell on his AFL career.

“But to play with the brothers, because we never have … to squeeze one, two or maybe three (years) in, who really knows, that was the goal.

“It took us six or seven games to be able to play all together – we were counting down the weeks a bit there. Once we did, it’s been pretty fun.

“(South Belgrave) have been really welcoming … (Damian and Mitch) were telling me how good the blokes are and how good the club is run, and I worked that out first-hand. It was a pretty easy decision in the end.”

Taylor Garner of the Kangaroos (left) tackles Essendon’s Michael Hurley in 2017. Picture: AAP Image/Tracey Nearmy

South Belgrave is on top of the Eastern league Division 2 ladder and has been lauded by many opposition coaches this season as the team to beat.

A grand final eluded Garner in his AFL days having contested a prelim in 2015, but the prospect of silverware with his now beloved Saints drives the former ‘Roo.

“Hopefully they feel I’ve repaid them a little bit so far and I can keep doing that, and hopefully we can strive for a flag at the end of the year.”