Like all players Dave Taylor has an equal amount of advocates and naysayers. Taylor made his debut for the Broncos in 2006 and was always regarded as having an X-factor.

Dave Taylor the man, the myth, the legend

He had that special mix of size and skill that often made him a game breaker. With the hands of a halfback and the thighs of a front row forward, the NRL journeyman promised so much.

Unfortunately towards the twilight of his career he became the player that promised so much but delivered little. He had brain snaps on the field, attempted miracle plays that rarely came off and caused a lot of frustration for many clubs and coaches.

Gordon Tallis always stood by Taylor and still rates him among one of the game’s most underrated players. All praise aside, Dave Taylor’s NRL career came to a screening halt when he was caught up in the NRL drugs scandal.

The aftermath

After the scandal, Dave Taylor spent a year a drift playing for the Catalans Dragons. Eventually though, homesickness brought him back to Australia. Then in pre-season, shock hit the NRL when Taylor was seen in the train-on side in Canberra.

When questioned, Ricky Stuart said that Taylor would have to prove himself like every other player in the train-on squad. So Taylor is set about working on his game and his discipline. Now approaching the first week of competition, he has shed 9kgs and has recently inked a one-year deal with the Raiders.

Will it last?

Can Dave Taylor finally develop into the talent he once promised as a Brisbane and QLD representative? Wayne Bennett’s opinion on Taylor was once that he didn’t have the work ethic or the conscience to care about the game. Bennett believed Taylor played purely for the pay check and the lifestyle.

Ricky Stuart

If anyone can turn Taylor around it is Stuart. He is a no nonsense coach who rules with an iron fist. He expects excellence, commitment and an unwavering devotion to the game.

Last year Stuart turned around the careers of Junior Paulo and Joey Leilua. Both were thought to be trouble makers at their previous clubs. But when they hit Canberra, Stuart’s regime of discipline ripped them into shape. Particularly Leilua who was one of the top form players last year and is now firmly in the mix for an origin call up.

Short leash in Canberra

Perhaps that is just the sort of discipline Dave Taylor needs. It is clear from his past record that given enough rope Taylor will do his best to asphyxiate his career. So zero tolerance is the order of the day for Taylor and if he slips up, just once, it could be curtains.

by Darrin Seath – contributor