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Jason Taylor (rugby league footballer)
Encyclopedia
Jason Taylor is an Australian professional rugby league
football coach and former player, currently working at the Sydney Roosters
of the NRL
. He formerly coached the Parramatta Eels
and South Sydney Rabbitohs
clubs. A goal-kicking halfback of the 1990s and early 2000s, Taylor set a number of point-scoring and appearance records in the National Rugby League
during a twelve year career with the Western Suburbs Magpies
, North Sydney Bears
, Northern Eagles
and Parramatta Eels
.
Taylor played 276 games with 4 clubs: Wests
from 1990 to 1993, Norths
, 1994–1999, the Northern Eagles
in 2000 and Parramatta
in 2001. Predominantly a halfback.
he also represented New South Wales in State of Origin
in 1993.
and its predecessors. He scored 2,107 first grade career points, a mark later surpassed by Newcastle Knights
halfback Andrew Johns
in July 2006, then again by Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs winger Hazem El Masri
in March 2009.
He retired holding the record for most first grade career goals at 942 and was the Australian Rugby League
's top point-scorer in seasons 1996 and 1997. He was awarded the Rothmans Medal
in 1996.
Between 1992 and 2000 (and across three clubs) he played 194 games in succession, also a standing record, 20 games clear of Hazem El Masri
's 174.
, he was appointed as Coach in May 2006 for the remainder of the 2006 season after Brian Smith
left the club following the announcement of his sacking for season 2007.
It was already planned that from 2007 Taylor was to join the South Sydney Rabbitohs
as an Assistant Coach. In August 2006 it was announced he would replace Shaun McRae
as Head Coach of the struggling South Sydney club. In his first year at Souths he took them to a top eight finish qualifying them for the Finals. It was the first time since 1989 that Souths reached the finals.
On 17 September 2009 it was announced that Taylor had been sacked as coach by the club due to an altercation with second-rower David Fa'alogo
during end-of-season celebrations. A visibly upset Taylor appeared on the NRL Footy Show later that evening and on a number of sport programs on Sydney radio in the following days to explain his conduct and subsequent dismay at his sacking.
Taylor is now the coach of the Sydney Roosters
Toyota Cup team.
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
football coach and former player, currently working at the Sydney Roosters
Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
of the NRL
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
. He formerly coached the Parramatta Eels
Parramatta Eels
The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League...
and South Sydney Rabbitohs
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
clubs. A goal-kicking halfback of the 1990s and early 2000s, Taylor set a number of point-scoring and appearance records in the National Rugby League
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
during a twelve year career with the Western Suburbs Magpies
Western Suburbs Magpies
The Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia...
, North Sydney Bears
North Sydney Bears
The North Sydney Bears are an Australian rugby league football club based in North Sydney, New South Wales. They currently compete in the New South Wales Cup, having exited the National Rugby League following the 1999 NRL season after 92 years of top-grade competition. The Bears are based on...
, Northern Eagles
Northern Eagles
The Northern Eagles were a rugby league team, that competed in the National Rugby League between 2000 and 2002. The club was formed during the rationalisation process of the NRL by the merger of the North Sydney Bears and the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in 2000...
and Parramatta Eels
Parramatta Eels
The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League...
.
Playing career
Jason Taylor spent his junior years at Green Valley United JRLFC and the Ashcroft Stallions JRLFC, in Sydney South West . Jason first attended Ashcroft High School before spending his late teenage years St Gregory's College,Campbelltown.Taylor played 276 games with 4 clubs: Wests
Western Suburbs Magpies
The Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia...
from 1990 to 1993, Norths
North Sydney Bears
The North Sydney Bears are an Australian rugby league football club based in North Sydney, New South Wales. They currently compete in the New South Wales Cup, having exited the National Rugby League following the 1999 NRL season after 92 years of top-grade competition. The Bears are based on...
, 1994–1999, the Northern Eagles
Northern Eagles
The Northern Eagles were a rugby league team, that competed in the National Rugby League between 2000 and 2002. The club was formed during the rationalisation process of the NRL by the merger of the North Sydney Bears and the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in 2000...
in 2000 and Parramatta
Parramatta Eels
The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League...
in 2001. Predominantly a halfback.
he also represented New South Wales in State of Origin
Rugby League State of Origin
State of Origin is an annual best of three series of rugby league football matches contested by the Maroons and the Blues, who represent the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales respectively...
in 1993.
Records
He retired with the record for most career points in the National Rugby LeagueNational Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
and its predecessors. He scored 2,107 first grade career points, a mark later surpassed by Newcastle Knights
Newcastle Knights
The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
halfback Andrew Johns
Andrew Johns
Andrew Gary "Joey" Johns is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s who is considered by many to be the greatest player of all time. He was heralded as the world's best halfback for a number of years...
in July 2006, then again by Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs winger Hazem El Masri
Hazem El Masri
Hazem El Masri is a Lebanese-Australian retired professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. An Australia and Lebanon international, and New South Wales State of Origin representative winger, he played his entire club football career with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs with...
in March 2009.
He retired holding the record for most first grade career goals at 942 and was the Australian Rugby League
Australian Rugby League
The Australian Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in Australia. It is made up of state bodies, including the New South Wales Rugby League and the Queensland Rugby League...
's top point-scorer in seasons 1996 and 1997. He was awarded the Rothmans Medal
Rothmans Medal
The Rothmans Medal was the premier individual award in both the New South Wales Rugby League and Brisbane Rugby League competitions, and later in the Australian Rugby League, which was given to the player voted by referees as the best and fairest in those competitions for that year.The award was...
in 1996.
Between 1992 and 2000 (and across three clubs) he played 194 games in succession, also a standing record, 20 games clear of Hazem El Masri
Hazem El Masri
Hazem El Masri is a Lebanese-Australian retired professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. An Australia and Lebanon international, and New South Wales State of Origin representative winger, he played his entire club football career with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs with...
's 174.
Coaching career
Previously the Assistant-Coach at the Parramatta EelsParramatta Eels
The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League...
, he was appointed as Coach in May 2006 for the remainder of the 2006 season after Brian Smith
Brian Smith (rugby league)
Brian Smith is an Australian coach and former player of rugby league football. He is the current head coach at the Sydney Roosters of the NRL. Smith played for St. George and South Sydney Rabbitohs , appearing in a total of 31 first grade games...
left the club following the announcement of his sacking for season 2007.
It was already planned that from 2007 Taylor was to join the South Sydney Rabbitohs
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
as an Assistant Coach. In August 2006 it was announced he would replace Shaun McRae
Shaun McRae
Shaun McRae is a rugby league coach, who is currently the director of rugby at hull fc after a spell with the Salford City Reds.-Career:...
as Head Coach of the struggling South Sydney club. In his first year at Souths he took them to a top eight finish qualifying them for the Finals. It was the first time since 1989 that Souths reached the finals.
On 17 September 2009 it was announced that Taylor had been sacked as coach by the club due to an altercation with second-rower David Fa'alogo
David Fa'alogo
David Fa'alogo is a professional rugby league footballer with the Huddersfield Giants of Super League, formerly contracted with the South Sydney Rabbitohs of the National Rugby League...
during end-of-season celebrations. A visibly upset Taylor appeared on the NRL Footy Show later that evening and on a number of sport programs on Sydney radio in the following days to explain his conduct and subsequent dismay at his sacking.
Taylor is now the coach of the Sydney Roosters
Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
Toyota Cup team.