Ashley Taylor (rugby league)

Ashley Taylor (born 17 March 1995) is an Indigenous Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a five-eighth and halfback for the Gold Coast Titans in the NRL.

Ash Taylor
Personal information
Full nameAshley Taylor
Born (1995-03-17) 17 March 1995
Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia
Height181 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Weight94 kg (14 st 11 lb)
Playing information
PositionFive-eighth, Halfback
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2015 Brisbane Broncos 1 0 0 0 0
2016– Gold Coast Titans 98 16 130 3 327
Total 99 16 130 3 327
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2017 Indigenous All Stars 1 1 0 0 4
As of 18 November 2020
Source: [1]

He previously played for the Brisbane Broncos in the National Rugby League. Taylor played for the Indigenous All Stars in 2017.

Background

Taylor was born in Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia and raised in St George, Queensland until 2006 when he was 10 years of age. He is of Indigenous Australian descent [2][3] - from Yuwaalaraay and Munanjali.

He played his first junior rugby league for the St George JRL. He signed with the Brisbane Broncos when he was 12-years-old and moved back to Toowoomba, where played junior rugby league for the Toowoomba Brothers while attending Harristown State High School.[4]

Early career

From 2013 until 2015, Taylor played for the Brisbane Broncos' NYC team.[5][6] In 30 June 2013, he re-signed with the Broncos on a 3-year contract.[7] On 5 October 2014, he played for the Broncos in their 2014 Holden Cup Grand final against the New Zealand Warriors, playing at halfback and kicking 2 goals in the 32-34 loss.[8][9]

2015

On 2 May, Taylor played for the Junior Kangaroos against Junior Kiwis, playing at halfback in the 22-20 win at Cbus Super Stadium.[10][11] On 8 July, he played for the Queensland under-20s team against the New South Wales under-20s team, playing at halfback and kicking 2 goals in the 16-32 loss at Suncorp Stadium.[12] On 5 August, he signed a 2-year contract with the Gold Coast Titans starting in 2016, after being released from the final year of his Broncos contract to pursue a first-grade opportunity.[13][14]

Taylor made his NRL debut in the last game of the season against the Melbourne Storm, filling in for the injured Ben Hunt at halfback.[15][16] His debut came to an end in the 28th minute after he suffered a compound fracture to a finger on his right hand during the Broncos' 8-15 loss at Suncorp Stadium.[17][18] He was named at halfback in the 2015 NYC Team of the Year and was awarded the Holden Cup Player of the Year.[19]

2016

In February, Taylor played for the Titans in the 2016 NRL Auckland Nines.[20] In Round 1 of the season, he made his club debut for the Titans against the Newcastle Knights, playing at halfback in the Titans 30-12 win at Cbus Super Stadium.[21]

2017

In the 2017 NRL season, Taylor made 24 appearances for the Gold Coast as the club finished second last on the table. The season was marred by off-field problems at the club involving then coach Neil Henry and Jarryd Hayne.[22][23][24][25]

2018

In the 2018 NRL season, Taylor made 23 appearances as the Gold Coast finished 14th on the table.[26][27]

2019

After a poor start to the 2019 NRL season, Taylor was granted indefinite leave from the Gold Coast club. Taylor's club released a statement saying “Gold Coast Titans halfback Ashley Taylor is taking time out from the game to deal with personal issues. In consultation with the club, Taylor, 24, has today been granted leave until further notice from his training and playing commitments. On behalf of Ashley and his family, we ask the media and the public to respect their privacy. No further comment will be made at this time by the Titans, Ashley, his management or his family". The announcement came in the wake of former players such as Peter Sterling and Andrew Johns calling for Taylor to be demoted to reserve grade stating that Taylor was not living up to his $1 million price tag.[28]

After spending nearly 2 months out of the Gold Coast side, Taylor returned to the team for their Round 20 match against the Sydney Roosters which ended in a 58-6 loss at the Sydney Cricket Ground.[29] On 8 August, it was revealed that Taylor was demoted to reserve grade after Gold Coast coaching staff determined that it was best for Taylor and the club that Taylor be removed from the first grade team, potentially for the remainder of the season.[30]

Taylor made a total of 10 appearances for the Gold Coast in the 2019 NRL season as the club endured a horror year on and off the field. During the halfway mark of the season, head coach Garth Brennan was sacked by the club after a string of poor results. The Gold Coast managed to win only 4 games for the entire season and finished last claiming the Wooden Spoon.[31][32]

References
  1. "Ashley Taylor - Career Stats & Summary". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 20 March 2016.
  2. "Three hundred big ones say ashley is broncos' answer by Stephen Hagan". issuu. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  3. NRL. "Indigenous All Stars take on world". Titans. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  4. "Taylor a talking point in St George". NRL.com. 28 February 2016. Retrieved 27 May 2016.
  5. "T". NYC DATABASE. Retrieved 3 September 2015.
  6. "NYC Start Season in Style". Broncos. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
  7. "Young Gun Ashley Taylor Could Be the Playmaker to Save the Broncos". Heraldsun.com.au. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
  8. "New Zealand Warriors take 2014 Holden Cup title in thriller over Brisbane Broncos". Dailytelegraph.com.au. 5 October 2014. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
  9. "Warriors survive Broncos scare to win Holden Cup". NRL.com. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  10. "Representative Round team lists". NRL.com. 28 April 2015. Retrieved 3 May 2015.
  11. "Video: Australia's Joe Ofahengaue dumped on his head as Junior Kangaroos beat Junior Kiwis". Couriermail.com.au. 2 May 2015. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
  12. "Queensland Under 20s squad". QRL.com.au. Retrieved 9 July 2015.
  13. "Titans confirm signings of Broncos young gun Ashley Taylor and former Kiwi international Zeb Taia". Dailytelegraph.com.au. 5 August 2015. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
  14. "Titans sign Taia, Taylor". NRL.com. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  15. "Kevin Walters says defence is the key for Ashley Taylor ahead of NRL debut". Dailytelegraph.com.au. 2 September 2015. Retrieved 9 March 2016.
  16. "Updated: Round 26 NRL team lists". NRL.com. Retrieved 3 September 2015.
  17. "Home - Live Scores & Latest News - Fox Sports". Fox Sports. 8 March 2016. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  18. "Storm topple injury-hit Broncos". NRL.com. Retrieved 3 September 2015.
  19. "2015 Holden Cup Team of the Year". NRL.com. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
  20. "Titans name squad for Auckland Nines". NRL.com. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  21. "Gold Coast Titans grab NRL season opening win against Newcastle Knights. Ash Taylor had an amazing first season with getting the Dally M Rookie of the year". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 8 March 2016.
  22. "Hayne wins out as Neil Henry sacked". Sporting News.
  23. "NRL coach Neil Henry sacked by Gold Coast Titans". The Guardian.
  24. "Gold Coast Titans announce sacking of Neil Henry". Fox Sports.
  25. "Ash Taylor's plan to become the best player in the NRL". NRL.
  26. "Ash Taylor recalls the day Johnathan Thurston gave him the pep talk he needed". Fox Sports.
  27. "Gold Coast Titans 2018 season review". NRL.
  28. "Titans star Ash Taylor takes indefinite leave to deal with personal issues". News.com.au.
  29. "Horror show for Holbrook as Roosters run riot". NRL.
  30. "Taylor may not play again in 2019 after being left out of Titans team". NRL.
  31. "The Titans are full of 'hot air'. Their latest blunder proves it". Adelaide Now.
  32. "Gold Coast Titans sack coach Garth Brennan". The Guardian.
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