Brian Taylor
Encyclopedia
Brian Taylor is a former Australian rules football
er and now AFL
commentator on Foxtel
. He played with both Richmond
and Collingwood
during the 1980s.
Taylor was only 16 when recruited from Mandurah, Western Australia, to the Richmond Football Club.
career with Richmond
in 1980, and had the misfortune of being a full-forward at the same club as the legendary Michael Roach
. It was for this reason that he was left out of the 1980 Grand Final
team, and he eventually left the Tigers at the end of the 1984 season, having played 43 games and kicking 156 goals. His height was 191cms and his weight was 102 kg.
In 1985, Taylor joined Collingwood
and quickly became a favourite. He kicked 100 goals in 1986 to win the Coleman Medal
, the highlight of his career. Due to repeated knee injuries, Taylor retired from playing in the AFL
at the end of the 1990 season at only 28 years of age. He had played 97 games for the Magpies, kicking 371 goals.
In 1991 Taylor became playing coach of Prahran
in the VFA
, taking the club to the finals. In 1992, after he had kicked 16 and 9 goals in the opening two rounds, Taylor's knee finally gave way and he retired from playing. Continuing as Coach, he again took the Two Blues to the finals. Taylor retired as coach after the 1993 season.
commentary team until 2009; Taylor's banter with his fellow commentators and enthusiasm added to his popularity. In 2010, Taylor joined 3AW
's football commentary team, replacing Rex Hunt who had moved to Triple M to call football on Saturday afternoons.
On television, Taylor was an AFL commentator for the Nine Network
until the station lost broadcasting rights in 2007 to Channel 7
. he remained with the station as a pannelist on the 'The Sunday Footy Show' until 2010. He is now the host of AFL Teams on Foxtel
, and calls the Sunday afternoon or twilight match on Fox Sports.
It was announced in July 2011 that Taylor will call Saturday night matches for the Seven Network
from the 2012 to 2016 seasons as part of its expanded coverage..
Taylor will continue to call all Friday night and most Saturday afternoon games for 3AW
in 2012.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er and now AFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
commentator on Foxtel
Foxtel
Foxtel is an Australian pay television company, operating cable, direct broadcast satellite television and IPTV services. It was formed in 1995 through a joint venture established between Telstra and News Corporation....
. He played with both Richmond
Richmond Football Club
The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,...
and Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
during the 1980s.
Taylor was only 16 when recruited from Mandurah, Western Australia, to the Richmond Football Club.
Playing career
The moustached Taylor, known as "BT", began his VFLAustralian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
career with Richmond
Richmond Football Club
The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,...
in 1980, and had the misfortune of being a full-forward at the same club as the legendary Michael Roach
Michael Roach (footballer)
Michael Terrence Roach is a former Australian rules football player who represented Richmond in the Victorian Football League from 1977 to 1989....
. It was for this reason that he was left out of the 1980 Grand Final
1980 VFL Grand Final
The 1980 VFL Grand Final was an Australian rules football game contested between the Richmond Football Club and Collingwood Football Club, held at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on 27 September 1980. It was the 84th annual Grand Final of the Victorian Football League, staged to...
team, and he eventually left the Tigers at the end of the 1984 season, having played 43 games and kicking 156 goals. His height was 191cms and his weight was 102 kg.
In 1985, Taylor joined Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
and quickly became a favourite. He kicked 100 goals in 1986 to win the Coleman Medal
Coleman Medal
The Coleman Medal is awarded yearly to the Australian Football League player who kicks the most goals in regular-season matches in that year...
, the highlight of his career. Due to repeated knee injuries, Taylor retired from playing in the AFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
at the end of the 1990 season at only 28 years of age. He had played 97 games for the Magpies, kicking 371 goals.
In 1991 Taylor became playing coach of Prahran
Prahran Football Club
Prahran Football Club, nicknamed The Two Blues, is an Australian rules football club based at Toorak Park in Orrong Road between High Street and Malvern Road, Armadale, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Since 2007, the club has competed in D1 Section of the Victorian Amateur Football Association...
in the VFA
Victorian Football League
The Victorian Football League which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association , taking its new name as from the 1996 season, is the premier Australian rules football league in Victoria The Victorian Football League (VFL) which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association...
, taking the club to the finals. In 1992, after he had kicked 16 and 9 goals in the opening two rounds, Taylor's knee finally gave way and he retired from playing. Continuing as Coach, he again took the Two Blues to the finals. Taylor retired as coach after the 1993 season.
Post-playing career
On radio, Taylor was the lead commentator for the high rating Triple MTriple M
The Triple M Network is an active rock radio network in Australia owned by media company Austereo, who also own the Today Network.- History :...
commentary team until 2009; Taylor's banter with his fellow commentators and enthusiasm added to his popularity. In 2010, Taylor joined 3AW
3AW
3AW is a talkback radio station in Melbourne, Australia on 693 kHz AM. It began transmission on 22 February 1932 as Melbourne's fifth commercial radio station.-History:...
's football commentary team, replacing Rex Hunt who had moved to Triple M to call football on Saturday afternoons.
On television, Taylor was an AFL commentator for the Nine Network
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
until the station lost broadcasting rights in 2007 to Channel 7
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
. he remained with the station as a pannelist on the 'The Sunday Footy Show' until 2010. He is now the host of AFL Teams on Foxtel
Foxtel
Foxtel is an Australian pay television company, operating cable, direct broadcast satellite television and IPTV services. It was formed in 1995 through a joint venture established between Telstra and News Corporation....
, and calls the Sunday afternoon or twilight match on Fox Sports.
It was announced in July 2011 that Taylor will call Saturday night matches for the Seven Network
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
from the 2012 to 2016 seasons as part of its expanded coverage..
Taylor will continue to call all Friday night and most Saturday afternoon games for 3AW
3AW
3AW is a talkback radio station in Melbourne, Australia on 693 kHz AM. It began transmission on 22 February 1932 as Melbourne's fifth commercial radio station.-History:...
in 2012.