Jim Taylor (Australian footballer)
Encyclopedia
James "Jim" Taylor is a former Australian rules footballer who played with South Melbourne
in the VFL
during the 1950s.
.
At the 1947 Associated Grammar Schools
Combined Athletics Meeting, Taylor won both the under-16 high-jump and the open high-jump — his winning jump in each event was 5' 5" (1.65m) — and, according to Wilkinson (1997, p. 151), he was part of the winning team in the under-16 4x220 yard relay.
At the 1948 A.G.S. Combined Sports he won the open high-jump, setting a new record of 5' 11⅝" (1.819m), and won the open 100 yards (in 10.7 secs), which was an extraordinary feat, given that he had badly strained his ankle a week earlier, and had been unable to train at all for the five days prior to the competition. He also competed in the long-jump.
At 15 he had already cleared 6' 1" (1.855m) using a "scissors jump" technique
. His best-ever jump was 6' 3" (1.905m). He eventually gave up high jumping because he became too heavy; and, in particular, because no up-to-date high jump coaching was available to him.
team Caulfield Grammarians.
. Playing as a forward pocket
and in the second ruck, he kicked one goal and was one of South Melbourne's best players.
He played as both a defender (mainly centre-half back) and ruckman for South Melbourne, and was a regular for both Victoria and South Melbourne during the next decade.
He played 81 senior games with South Melbourne between 1949 and 1954.
In 1955, aged 23, he moved to Norwood
in the South Australian National Football League
. He played 13 S.A.F.L.
games for Norwood, including the Grand Final, in which he was the best player for the losing team. He played four Interstate matches for South Australia in 1955.
He then returned to South Melbourne and played another 72 senior VFL matches from 1956 to 1961.
Taylor played in the first ruck in his first return match (round 1, 1956) against Geelong at the Lake Oval. The match against Geelong was a very low standard scrappy affair. Geelong won 11.11 (77) to 7.8 (50), and Taylor was one of South Melbourne's best players (on one occasion he took a spectacular diving one-handed mark, with his left hand). Taylor came off the ground after the match only to be told that his father, who had served as vice-president of the South Melbourne Football Club from 1952 to 1954, had died in the committee reserve whilst the match was in progress, and that his mother had requested that he not be told until after the match was over.
He represented Victoria at interstate football 13 occasions.
In 1973 he was chairman of selectors at South Melbourne.
in 1953 and 1957.
In 1957 he was fourth in the Brownlow Medal
, and in 1961, his final VFL season, he finished equal fifth, in a year he played only 12 games
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
in the VFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
during the 1950s.
Athletics
He was an outstanding schoolboy athlete, and displayed great talent both a sprinter and as a high-jumper whilst at Caulfield Grammar SchoolCaulfield Grammar School
Caulfield Grammar School is an independent, co-educational, Anglican, day and boarding school, located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Founded in 1881 as a boys' school, Caulfield began admitting girls exactly one hundred years later...
.
At the 1947 Associated Grammar Schools
Associated Grammar Schools of Victoria
The Associated Grammar Schools of Victoria are a group of nine independent schools in Victoria, Australia, formed in 1920. The AGSV provides the basis for interschool sporting competition between the nine member schools in a range of sports....
Combined Athletics Meeting, Taylor won both the under-16 high-jump and the open high-jump — his winning jump in each event was 5' 5" (1.65m) — and, according to Wilkinson (1997, p. 151), he was part of the winning team in the under-16 4x220 yard relay.
At the 1948 A.G.S. Combined Sports he won the open high-jump, setting a new record of 5' 11⅝" (1.819m), and won the open 100 yards (in 10.7 secs), which was an extraordinary feat, given that he had badly strained his ankle a week earlier, and had been unable to train at all for the five days prior to the competition. He also competed in the long-jump.
At 15 he had already cleared 6' 1" (1.855m) using a "scissors jump" technique
Scissors-Jump
The Scissors is a style used in the athletics event of high jump. As it allows the jumper to land on their feet, it is the most common style used by junior athletes where the landing surface is not deep or soft enough to meet full competition standards....
. His best-ever jump was 6' 3" (1.905m). He eventually gave up high jumping because he became too heavy; and, in particular, because no up-to-date high jump coaching was available to him.
Football
He played in Caulfield Grammar's First XVIII; and, in 1949, he was recruited from the V.A.F.A.Victorian Amateur Football Association
The Victorian Amateur Football Association is an Australian rules football league in Victoria, Australia consisting purely of amateur players. Unlike the Victorian Football League and the VFL/AFL, the VAFA has always been strictly a purely amateur league and has affiliations with both AFL Victoria...
team Caulfield Grammarians.
Senior career
Promoted from the Third XVIII, and then the Second XVIII, Taylor played his first senior match for South Melbourne, at 17, on 16 July 1949 (round 13) against St Kilda at the St Junction OvalJunction Oval
The Junction Oval is an historic sports ground in the suburb of St Kilda in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Its location near the St Kilda Junction gave rise to its nickname...
. Playing as a forward pocket
Forward pocket
In Australian rules football, the forward pocket refers to a position on the field deep in offense.Forward pocket players, situated in the forward line, need to have good avoidance and goal sneak skills and usually, quality forward-pockets are noted for their agility and ability to score difficult...
and in the second ruck, he kicked one goal and was one of South Melbourne's best players.
He played as both a defender (mainly centre-half back) and ruckman for South Melbourne, and was a regular for both Victoria and South Melbourne during the next decade.
He played 81 senior games with South Melbourne between 1949 and 1954.
In 1955, aged 23, he moved to Norwood
Norwood Football Club
Norwood Football Club, nicknamed, Redlegs, is an Australian rules football club belonging to the South Australian National Football League in the state of South Australia...
in the South Australian National Football League
South Australian National Football League
The South Australian National Football League is an Australian rules football league based in the Australian state of South Australia. It is also the governing body for the sport of Australian rules football in South Australia....
. He played 13 S.A.F.L.
South Australian National Football League
The South Australian National Football League is an Australian rules football league based in the Australian state of South Australia. It is also the governing body for the sport of Australian rules football in South Australia....
games for Norwood, including the Grand Final, in which he was the best player for the losing team. He played four Interstate matches for South Australia in 1955.
He then returned to South Melbourne and played another 72 senior VFL matches from 1956 to 1961.
Taylor played in the first ruck in his first return match (round 1, 1956) against Geelong at the Lake Oval. The match against Geelong was a very low standard scrappy affair. Geelong won 11.11 (77) to 7.8 (50), and Taylor was one of South Melbourne's best players (on one occasion he took a spectacular diving one-handed mark, with his left hand). Taylor came off the ground after the match only to be told that his father, who had served as vice-president of the South Melbourne Football Club from 1952 to 1954, had died in the committee reserve whilst the match was in progress, and that his mother had requested that he not be told until after the match was over.
He represented Victoria at interstate football 13 occasions.
In 1973 he was chairman of selectors at South Melbourne.
Awards
He was South Melbourne's Best and Fairest playerBob Skilton Medal
The Bob Skilton Medal is awarded to the Sydney Swans player adjudged the Best and Fairest over the home and away season. It is named after Bob Skilton, who won the award a record nine times from 1958 to 1968.-List of winners:...
in 1953 and 1957.
In 1957 he was fourth in the Brownlow Medal
Brownlow Medal
The Chas Brownlow Trophy, better known as the Brownlow Medal , is awarded to the "fairest and best" player in the Australian Football League during the regular season as determined by votes cast by the officiating field umpires after each game...
, and in 1961, his final VFL season, he finished equal fifth, in a year he played only 12 games