Sydney Swans youngster Elijah Taylor stood down after charges

The Sydney Swans have made a huge call on the future of their star rookie Elijah Taylor while Gillon McLachlan has finally spoken about violence against women.

The Sydney Swans have taken the decisive action that the AFL was not prepared to take, choosing to stand down troubled rookie Elijah Taylor following his aggravated assault charge.

A day after AFL boss Gillon McLachlan said the league wasn’t ready to follow an NRL model of mandatory no-fault stand-downs for all players charged with serious assaults, the Swans took matters into their own hands and removed Taylor from all involvement with the club.

Taylor is facing the sack if found guilty of the aggravated assault occasioning bodily harm charge over an ugly incident involving his ex-girlfriend Lekahni Pearce in the Perth CBD on Sunday morning.

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Footage has emerged of Swan Elijah Taylor's arrest.

Swans chief executive Tom Harley said the club was taking immediate action to stand Taylor down for the foreseeable future.

“We are extremely disappointed to have one of our own players in this position,” said Harley.

“As a result of the serious nature of these charges, coupled with Elijah’s failure to abide by club directives on a number of occasions this year, we have made the decision to stand him down from all club commitments immediately.

“We will review this position as the situation unfolds.

“We believe this is the most appropriate course of action giving respect to all involved, and in light of the impending court proceedings.

“This is a difficult situation and one we will work with relevant experts and authorities to navigate.

“The club, together with the AFL, will ensure Elijah and those involved receive the appropriate assistance and support.

“Finally I would like to reiterate that our club has very strong values, which include respect, tolerance and a condemnation of violence, especially against women.

“We expect everyone at our club to uphold these values without compromise.”

The Swans’ decision was supported by the AFL.

A statement released shortly after quoted Gillon McLachlan as saying: “Violence against women in any form is abhorrent and we strongly condemn it.

“Our view is clear and unequivocal – violence against women is never okay in any circumstance – ever.

“Our absolute commitment is to respect women and to never accept or condone in any way, shape or form violence against women.”

Sydney Swans boss Tom Harley has announced Elijah Taylor has been stood down. Picture. Phil Hillyard

It comes after McLachlan said the AFL will continue to review its position on violence against women, but has no plans to replicate the NRL’s no-fault stand-down policy that has seen St George Illawarra Dragons star Jack de Belin not play a match for the past two seasons as he awaits sexual assault allegations to be heard in court.

McLachlan said the league “condemns and abhors all forms of violence towards women” and that its own respect and responsibility policy had been set up to primarily support victims.

“The Respect and Responsibility policy is deliberately victimcentric to ensure that the wishes of the person making a complaint are what drives our actions,” Mc-Lachlan said.

“Support and counselling is provided to all women making a complaint and – where appropriate – their families, and where any matter is a criminal matter, complainants are encouraged to go to police – and we support them through that process.

“The wellbeing of victims and support for all parties in any incident is our major concern and the review found that blanket media coverage was discouraging women coming forward, which was the opposite of what we wanted.”

Taylor was rated so highly by the Swans he was handed the most coveted jersey number of all – 37.

It was the number belonging to Adam Goodes – and originally retired in the AFL great’s honour – but the expectation was Taylor would do it proud.

Related to famous football names like the Kicketts, the Haydens, the Ryders, the Narkles and Kellys, the pedigree of stardom was there.

In the four matches he played during his debut season there was enough on-field magic to support the assertion by AFL recruiters that on talent, Taylor was a top 10 pick.

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But now the 19-year-old West Australian is facing the prospect of having his career ended before it ever really started, after being charged by Perth police with aggravated assault occasioning bodily harm for an alleged incident involving his ex-girlfriend Lekahni Pearce.

Taylor is due to front the Perth Magistrates Court on Wednesday September 30, in the latest in an ugly and deeply saddening sequence of events that have taken place since last month.

Already, Taylor is being investigated by the AFL’s integrity unit over a separate allegation of domestic abuse – which allegedly took place in NSW earlier this season – that was levelled last week by Pearce on social media.

The reality is the Swans were aware of Taylor’s difficult upbringing and complicated personal circumstances when they drafted him at pick 37 last year.

“Not every player that you get when you go to the national draft has got the same maturity levels and the same backgrounds,” said coach John Longmire.

Elijah Taylor in action for Western Australia during the AFL Under 18 Championships last year. Picture: Michael Dodge/AFL Photos

It was a past that made other clubs hesitate and second guess at draft time, but the Swans believed the Bloods culture could see him thrive.

When Taylor first arrived in Sydney he moved in with Indigenous icon and AFL great Lance Franklin and lived with him for a couple of months.

Franklin presented him with the debut jersey that Goodes had given his blessing to take on.

“There were a few numbers mentioned, and I just said, ‘what about 37?’” Taylor told The Daily Telegraph at the time.

“And they asked him (Goodes) and he was all good with giving me his number.

“It’s a good opportunity to get his jersey number because what he’s done for, not only the AFL, but all our people as a community. I just wanted to follow in his footsteps.”

When Taylor was abused by racist trolls, Franklin condemned the disgraceful slur publicly, while Goodes led the Swans’ response behind the scenes.

The Swans made the call that Taylor would be best having some time out of the AFL spotlight, and left him behind in Perth to be with his family when they departed the State for their next hub in Cairns.

However, that decision now appears a regrettable one, after Taylor was arrested by police early on Sunday morning in the Perth CBD.

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“Cannington Detectives have charged a 19-year-old man following an incident in Perth yesterday morning, 13 September 2020,” said a statement from WA police.

“It is alleged that between 6am and 8am the man assaulted an 18-year-old woman who is known to him at a hotel in the Perth CBD.

“The 19-year-old man from Maroubra (NSW) has been charged with Aggravated Assault Occasioning Bodily Harm and was bailed to appear in the Perth Magistrates Court on Wednesday 30 September 2020.”

Before last year’s draft, Taylor told News Corp he had a job in 2019, but only stayed in it for two months.

He said if footy didn’t work out he’d go back to TAFE and pursue a career in sport and recreation.

When he was called up to make his debut in his first year, it didn’t look like a real job would be a concern for Taylor any time soon.

But now his career, but more importantly his life, and that of his 18-year-old ex-partner is at a terrible crossroads.

Originally published as Sydney Swans youngster Elijah Taylor stood down after charges