THERE might be 22cm and 26kg between them, but Brisbane Lions Lewy Taylor and Jonathan Brown have more in common than you might think.

Both grew up about 250km south-west of Melbourne. Both attended a few Mortlake Busker Festivals, where the country’s best street performers congregate. Both played junior footy in the Hampden league and both were drafted to Queensland from Geelong Falcons.

It’s a bonus for Taylor, who says he know has plenty of reasons to pick the brains of the ageing triple-premiership great.

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“He’s a legend so it’s a privilege to play with him,” Taylor, the AFL’s Round 9 Rising Star nominee, said.

“We’re from the same part of Victoria, which is good, there’s always a bit to talk about. He’s a great fella and he loves the country fellas, Browny.

“He played for South Warrnambool and I played for Terang, so there’s always something that pops up that we both know about.”

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Taylor, a Brent Harvey-type who was surprisingly left on the draft board when Brisbane’s fourth selection (No.28) rolled around, has played every game this year despite stress fractures in his foot hindering his maiden AFL summer.

He joined the Lions with fellow Falcon Darcy Gardiner and has collected at least 11 disposals every week since starting his career as the substitute.

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The 173cm pocket rocket collected 20 disposals in Saturday’s 87-point loss to North Melbourne and joins silky midfielder James Aish as the second Brisbane Rising Star nominee under new coach Justin Leppitsch.

Taylor, who averaged 32 disposals in the TAC Cup last year and wants to develop an AFL-sized motor, said the Lions were still recovering from a nasty stomach bug which spread through their camp at the weekend.

Brown was set to withdraw from the loss to North alongside Joel Patful and Tom Rockliff, but the Lions ran out of players with their reserves side in the Northern Territory.

“There’s a bit of sickness getting around the club at the moment, so we’re just trying to clear that up,” he said.

“Zorks just had to soldier on, he wasn’t at 100 per cent that’s for sure. I’m probably next, I reckon.”

Taylor says the Lions are confident wins will come in the back end of the season after facing six top-eight sides in the first eight games.

“We’ve had a pretty tough draw. But us younger players are maturing a bit and adapting to the game a bit more, which will be good, and hopefully we can take a couple of wins.”