Dick Taylor (Australian rules footballer)

{{Infobox AFL biography

| name = Dick Taylor

| image = Dick Taylor (before 1935).jpg

| alt =

| caption =

| fullname = Richard John Taylor

| birth_date = {{birth date|1900|11|28|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Armadale, Victoria

| death_date = {{death date and age|1962|5|25|1900|11|28|df=yes}}

| death_place = Heidelberg, Victoria

| originalteam = South Yarra

| height = 178 cm

| weight = 70 kg

| position =

| statsend = 1935

| years1 = 1922–1931

| club1 = Melbourne

| games_goals1 = 161 {{0}}(98)

| years2 = 1932–1934

| club2 = North Melbourne

| games_goals2 = {{0}}40 {{0}}(25)

| years3 = 1935

| club3 = Melbourne

| games_goals3 = {{0|00}}3 {{0|00}}(2)

| games_goalstotal = 204 (125)

| coachyears1 = 1932–1934

| coachclub1 = North Melbourne

| coachgames_wins1 = 42 (14–27–1)

| careerhighlights = * Melbourne premiership player 1926

}}

Richard John Taylor (28 November 1900 – 25 May 1962){{cite web|url=http://australianfootball.com/players/player/dick%2Btaylor/4014|title=Dick Taylor - Player Bio|publisher=Australian Football|access-date=27 December 2014}} was an Australian rules footballer who played for Melbourne and North Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL).

Family

The son of Richard Taylor (1865-1939),[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12084312 Deaths: Taylor, The Argus, (Monday, 9 January 1939), p.8.] and Charlotte Taylor (1868-1923), née Walker, Richard John Taylor was born at Armadale, Victoria on 28 November 1900.

Football

[[File: VIctorian Football League Interstate Team-(1928).jpeg|thumb|350px|The Victorian Football League’s Interstate team that drew with South Australia, in Adelaide, 13.10 (88) to 11.22 (88) on Saturday, 16 June 1928.

Back Row: Jack Moriarty, Albert "Leeter" Collier, Hugh Dunbar, Gordon "Nuts" Coventry, Bob Johnson, Jack Baggott.

Second Row: Jack Vosti, Charlie Stanbridge, Arthur Stevens, Alex Duncan, Dick Taylor, Ted Baker.

Front Row: Basil McCormack, Arthur Rayson, Allan Geddes (vice-captain), Syd Coventry (captain), Barney Carr, Arthur “Bull” Coghlan, Herbert White.]]

=Melbourne (VFL)=

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.[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article205762086 Fitzroy 8.15 v. Melbourne 7.13: A Third Quarter Victory, The Age, (Monday, 18 September 1922), p.11.][http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article243164269 Millard, P.J., "'Dick' Taylor One of Five Real League Football Veterans", The (Melbourne) Herald, (Tuesday, 19 June 1934), p.19.]

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,[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article4030805 Fierce Encounter: Melee in the Mud, The Argus, (Monday, 19 August 1929), p.15.][http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article204104255 Spiteful Scramble in the Mud: Melbourne 11.16 v. Footscray 6.5, The Age, (Monday, 19 August 1929), p.6.] meant that he was unable to pass a fitness test on the morning of the next match[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article244001369 St. Kilda Get Nearer the Final Four by Defeating Melbourne, The (Melbourne) Herald, (Saturday, 24 August 1929), p.3.] {{em-dash}} and, therefore, could not play in the 24 August 1929 match against St Kilda.[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article244001435 St. Kilda meet Melbourne: Vital Football Game: "Dick" Taylor Unable to Play, The (Melbourne) Herald, (Saturday, 24 August 1929), p.1.] He was a last-minute inclusion in that season's final match against Collingwood, at the MCG, on 31 August 1929.'Kickero', [http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article244008523 "Collingwood Have Lead of Ten Points at Half-Time", The (Melbourne) Herald, (Saturday, 31 August 1929), p.3.]

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.

==1927 Brownlow Medal==

In 1927 he finished equal second, with Carlton's Alex Duncan, behind Collingwood's Syd Coventry in the Brownlow Medal count.[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article205791142 Football: Brownlow Medallist: S. Coventry (Collingwood) Best and Fairest Player, The Age, (Thursday, 15 September 1927), p.6.]

=North Melbourne (VFL)=

After playing with Melbourne for ten seasons, he was cleared to North Melbourne in 1932 where he was appointed captain-coach.[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article182144419 North Melbourne Hope Turn of Tide is at Hand, The Sporting Globe, (Saturday, 19 March 1932), p.6.]

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.{{Cite web|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/203748133?searchTerm=north%20melbourne%20coach|title = League Tribunal|newspaper = Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954)|date = 27 May 1932|page = 12}}

==Saturday, 14 July 1934==

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.[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article243170219 Hawthorn v. North Melbourne: Who Shall be Last?: Lowest Teams Opposed, The (Melbourne) Herald, (Friday, 13 July 1934), p.13.]

Immediately after the 14 July game against Hawthorn at Glenferrie Oval {{em-dash}} a. strong-wind affected game, which Hawthorn won, 6.7 (53) to North Melbourne's 6.12 (48)[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article10955809 Hawthorn's Second, The Argus, (Monday, 16 July 1934), p.13.] {{em-dash}} he resigned as a player, in disgust at the attitude and performance of the North Melbourne players.[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article128847642 Football: Third Coach to Resign: North Melbourne Stir, The (Adelaide) News, (Monday, 16 July 1934), p.2.] 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."[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article243171315 League Captains Sum Up: The (Melbourne) Herald, (Monday, 16 July 1934), p.15.]

::Disgusted with Team: Dick Taylor: Club's Worry
"Definitely, I shall not play with North again", said the captain-coach of North Melbourne League Football Club (Dick Taylor) today. I am telephoning my resignation as a player to Jack Adams (club secretary) now.
"I am disgusted with the team", he said, "and after North's showing against Hawthorn on Saturday I feel that there is nothing else for me to do but resign.
"I expect my resignation will come up before the club meeting on Thursday.
"If North will have me as a non-playing coach I will carry on: but I am determined I shall not play again."
His 200th Game
It was Taylor's 200th League game, and he played his typically heady and serviceable game. He received numerous congratulations on having reached his double century, but he was very disgusted when interviewed in the dressing room immediately afterwards.
"What is the use of battling your heart out for a team like that!" he said. "I don't mind a man playing badly when it is because he just cannot hit form{{em-dash}}the best of players are always liable to do that.
"I think that the reason why certain of our players did not show up well today was{{em-dash}}well, the reason was not that they could not do better! There is not the right team spirit at North; but to say what I think at this stage will not help the team along." {{em-dash}} The Herald, Monday, 16 July 1934.[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article243171320 Disgusted with Team: Dick Taylor Resigns: Club's Worry, The (Melbourne) Herald, (Monday, 16 July 1934), p.15.]

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.[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article205538259 North Melbourne Captain: Taylor Resigns; Fitzmaurice Appointed, The Age, (Tuesday, 17 July 1934), p.2.]

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 {{em-dash}} since its last win against St Kilda on 12 August 1933 {{em-dash}} 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.[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article244838256 Barclay, Bert, "Captain of North Resigns", The (Melbourne) Herald, (Monday, 17 June 1935), p.1.].Fitzmaurice's resignation was accepted; he was cleared to Brunswick in the VFA, and was replaced (as non-playing coach) by former South Melbourne coach Paddy Scanlan.

=Melbourne (VFL)=

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."At 33, he played three final [senior] games, scoring a career high seven Brownlow Medal votes in those matches.": Demonwiki.[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article244790787 Barclay, Bert, "Dick Taylor to Retire", The (Melbourne) Herald, (Thursday, 5 September 1935), p.20.]

Melbourne Football Club

He served the Melbourne Football Club as its Chairman of Selectors (1947-1950), as its VFL delegate (1953-1962),[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article249191527 Dick Taylor Delegate, The (Melbourne) Herald, (Saturday, 24 January 1953), p.12.] and as a Director (1936, 1937, 1939-1942, and 1945-1962).[http://demonwiki.org/Directors List of Directors and Committeemen, Demonwiki.]

Death

He died at Heidelberg, Victoria on 25 May 1962.[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=LrJVAAAAIBAJ&sjid=G6wDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2377%2C4283652 Deaths: Taylor, The Age, (Monday, 28 May 1962), p.13.]

Footnotes

References

[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article243176699 Coulter Law Farcical In Present Form, Says Dick Taylor: Club Pirates are Ruining Football: "Nth. Melbourne Provide Object Lesson": Umpiring at Fault, The (Melbourne) Herald, (Saturday, 21 July 1934), p.30.]

External links

{{AFL Tables|ref=D/Dick_Taylor.html}}
[https://afltables.com/afl/stats/coaches/Dick_Taylor.html Dick Taylor's Coaching Record], from AFL Tables
{{AustralianFootball|ref=dick%2Btaylor/4014}}
[http://demonwiki.org/Richard+Taylor Richard Taylor, at Demonwiki.]