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Australian rules footballer (1900–1962) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Richard John Taylor (28 November 1900 – 25 May 1962)[1] was an Australian rules footballer who played for Melbourne and North Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL).
| Dick Taylor | |||
|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) | |||
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Richard John Taylor | ||
| Date of birth | 28 November 1900 | ||
| Place of birth | Armadale, Victoria | ||
| Date of death | 25 May 1962 (aged 61) | ||
| Place of death | Heidelberg, Victoria | ||
| Original team(s) | South Yarra | ||
| Height | 178 cm (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Weight | 70 kg (154 lb) | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 1922–1931 | Melbourne | 161 (98) | |
| 1932–1934 | North Melbourne | 40 (25) | |
| 1935 | Melbourne | 3 (2) | |
| Total | 204 (125) | ||
| Coaching career | |||
| Years | Club | Games (W–L–D) | |
| 1932–1934 | North Melbourne | 42 (14–27–1) | |
|
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1935. | |||
| Career highlights | |||
| |||
| Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com | |||
The son of Richard Taylor (1865-1939),[2] and Charlotte Taylor (1868-1923), née Walker, Richard John Taylor was born at Armadale, Victoria on 28 November 1900.
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Taylor played as a centreman. He made his VFL debut with Melbourne in the last home-and-away match of the 1922 season, against Fitzroy, at Princes Park, on 16 September 1922.[3][4]
He went on to play 164 games for Melbourne, including 127 consecutive games from his debut until an injury sustained from a kick on the leg in the violent and spiteful 17 August 1929 match against Footscray, in which Taylor had kicked 6 goals,[5][6] meant that he was unable to pass a fitness test on the morning of the next match[7] — and, therefore, could not play in the 24 August 1929 match against St Kilda.[8] He was a last-minute inclusion in that season's final match against Collingwood, at the MCG, on 31 August 1929.[9]
He was a member of Melbourne's 1926 premiership side; and, during his time at Melbourne, he represented Victoria at interstate football on 15 occasions.
In 1927 he finished equal second, with Carlton's Alex Duncan, behind Collingwood's Syd Coventry in the Brownlow Medal count.[10]
After playing with Melbourne for ten seasons, he was cleared to North Melbourne in 1932 where he was appointed captain-coach.[11]
He got suspended after a fiery game in 1932, and was barred from coaching for 4 weeks. Charlie Cameron filled the role in his absence.[12]
Midway through July 1934, North Melbourne were on the bottom of the VFL Ladder, having not won any of its nine matches to that stage. Hawthorn, with only one win, and eight losses, were second from the Bottom.[13]
Immediately after the 14 July game against Hawthorn at Glenferrie Oval — a. strong-wind affected game, which Hawthorn won, 6.7 (53) to North Melbourne's 6.12 (48)[14] — he resigned as a player, in disgust at the attitude and performance of the North Melbourne players.[15] When asked about the team's performance, following the match he said, "Once again we can attribute our defeat to our forwards. Some of our men are either playing badly or they don't want to play well. I am disgusted with our showing, and am definite that I have played my last game with North."[16]
Given the club's expressed policy of employing only a playing coach, the North Melbourne committee "considered" his request to continue as the team's non-playing coach at its meeting on the Monday evening, and "decided to accept Taylor's resignation with regret", and appointed full-forward, Tom Fitzmaurice, as captain-coach for the remainder of the 1934 season.[18]
In relation to Taylor's resignation, it is significant that Fitzmaurice, who was re-appointed as North Melbourne's captain-coach for the 1935 season, resigned immediately following the club's 28th consecutive loss — since its last win against St Kilda on 12 August 1933 — in the match (against Collingwood, 16.30 (126) to 6.10 (46), on 15 June 1935, as both player and coach, for exactly the same reasons that Taylor had resigned 12 months earlier.[19][20]
Cleared back to Melbourne in 1935, he spent most of the season playing with the Second XVIII; however, he played another three senior games before retiring at the end of the season.[21][22]
He served the Melbourne Football Club as its Chairman of Selectors (1947-1950), as its VFL delegate (1953-1962),[23] and as a Director (1936, 1937, 1939-1942, and 1945-1962).[24]
He died at Heidelberg, Victoria on 25 May 1962.[25]
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