WHO’S FLYING

Each week throughout the 2023 season we will present Who’s Flying, a series of stories which will encapsulate everything that is good about our great game. It could be a star player, a coach who has inspired his men or a team that is – pardon the pun –flying. BRENDAN RHODES says Sam Taylor is one of the reasons the Giants are running hot.

The old saying that forwards sell tickets and defence wins premierships has a lot of truth to it, and the fact the GWS Giants are back in the finals race on the back of five consecutive wins is due in no small part to Sam Taylor.

How many of you just said: “Who?”

It’s a fair bet Taylor doesn’t care about the answer to that question, but he is a genuine star for the Giants who deserves to be considered alongside the ilk of high-profile stars Toby Greene, Josh Kelly, Lachie Whitfield and Tom Green.

And it was Taylor who was a key catalyst for their stunning comeback win over Adelaide at Adelaide Oval last Saturday night.

Crows ace Taylor Walker had got off to a rollicking start, booting 2.1 by the opening minute of the second quarter as his team built a 24-point lead midway through the term.

But then Taylor went to another level, conceding only one more behind and putting up a game-turning 21 disposals, of which were 16 intercepts and 14 contested, six marks, seven rebound-50s and 366 metres gained.

Still only 24 and with 85 games and an All-Australian blazer in his wardrobe, Taylor is ranked No. 1 in the AFL for intercepts a game and is averaging 13.9 disposals, 5.3 marks and 3.3 rebounds.

It is no surprise that GWS has not been beaten since he returned from a serious hamstring injury in round 14.

And with the Giants facing Gold Coast (Ben King), Western Bulldogs (Aaron Naughton), Sydney (Lance Franklin), Port Adelaide (Charlie Dixon), Essendon (Peter Wright) and Carlton (Charlie Curnow) between now and the end of the season, he is a major part of why the Giants will or won’t make the finals in Adam Kingsley’s first season at the helm.

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