Don Taylor (footballer)

Albert Dominic "Don" Taylor (24 June 1920 – 15 January 1994)[2] was an Australian rules footballer who played for South Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL). He also played with West Adelaide and Glenelg in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL).

Don Taylor
Personal information
Full name Albert Dominic Taylor[1]
Date of birth 24 June 1920
Place of birth Largs Bay, South Australia
Date of death 15 January 1994(1994-01-15) (aged 73)
Height 183 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight 80 kg (176 lb)
Position(s) Half back
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1939–41, 1945–46, 1949 West Adelaide 58 (50)
1942, 1947–48 South Melbourne 36 (38)
1950–54 Glenelg 77 (26)
Coaching career
Years Club Games (W–L–D)
1965 West Adelaide 20 (4–16–0)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1954.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

The son of John Taylor Sr., who played 56 games for SANFL club Port Adelaide from 1915 to 1923,[3] Taylor, along with his brothers John Jnr. and Laurie, began his career at West Adelaide and finished it at Glenelg. In between he had two separate stints with South Melbourne, the first while on war service in 1942 when he appeared in five VFL games, two of them finals, including their preliminary final loss to Essendon. He returned in 1947 and from mid season was used as a forward and on the ball, kicking at least two goals in each of his final six games. In one of those games, against Hawthorn at Glenferrie Oval, he kicked a career best bag of six goals.

As a result of his consistent performances up forward in 1947, Taylor remained there in 1948 and kicked five goals against Richmond in the opening round. He finished the year in defense, his preferred position while at West Adelaide, and in 1949 returned to South Australia and joined Glenelg.

Taylor won Glenelg's best and fairest award in both 1950 and 1952 before playing the last of his 135 SANFL games in 1954. He was recognised in the 1952 Sporting Life Team of the Year as a half back flanker and represented South Australia in nine interstate matches during his career.

His final contribution to South Australian football came in 1965 when he coached West Adelaide for the season. The club however struggled and finished the year in ninth position (of ten).

References
  1. "WW2 Nominal Roll". Australian Government. Retrieved 11 June 2014.
  2. "Don Taylor - Player Bio". Australian Football. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
  3. Atkinson, pp. 129–30.

Sources
  • Atkinson, G. (1982) Everything you ever wanted to know about Australian rules football but couldn't be bothered asking, The Five Mile Press: Melbourne. ISBN 0 86788 009 0.
  • Holmesby, Russell and Main, Jim (2007). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers. 7th ed. Melbourne: Bas Publishing.
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