Hard running St Mary’s wingman Lachlan Taylor is the Round 17 Rising Star nominee

St Mary’s wingman Lachlan Taylor’s Rising Star nomination proves that fitness and leg speed mean everything in the art of Top End football

St Mary's recruit and Rising Star nominee Lachlan Taylor gets a kick forward. Picture: Aaron Black/AFLNT

ST MARY’S knew they had a good player in their ranks when Lachlan Taylor made the move from Geelong Football League club St Joseph’s to the Top End.

The Round 17 NT News Rising Star nominee has been a big contributor to the Saints’ 13-4 win-loss record, missing only the Round 10 clash against the Darwin Buffaloes with a hamstring injury.

Playing on a wing against the Tiwi Bombers, Taylor had 19 effective touches and grabbed 10 marks in a performance that won him the No More Medal as the best player on the ground.

St Mary’s coach Anthony Vallejo said the 19-year-old had kept himself super-fit in a debut NTFL season that ranked with any player making the long trek north for the first time.

“He’s only a little fella who moved here on the recommendation of one of our former players Mark Hildebrandt and he’s made a big impression,’’ Vallejo said.

“He’s got plenty of leg speed, is super tough and runs games out very well because of his fitness, which is right up there with anyone at the club.’’

Vallejo said the 19-year-old could now put to rest a standing joke around the club that three previous nominees had been his direct opponents on matchdays.