Lewis Taylor had some fantasy-relevant seasons in his time at Brisbane, but on his move to the Swans his job security was highly questionable in a team which is on the rebuild. Off-field trouble for his namesake Elijah Taylor has led to a run of games in the seniors to end 2020, though he has replaced Elijah in a deep forward role rather than the running winger position he prefers. Sydney is playing the kids at the moment because that's all they have left, and his future going into his eighth campaign is contingent on others on the Bloods list.
Lewis Taylor had some fantasy-relevant seasons in his time at Brisbane, but on his move to the Swans his job security was highly questionable in a team which is on the rebuild. Off-field trouble for his namesake Elijah Taylor has led to a run of games in the seniors to end 2020, though he has replaced Elijah in a deep forward role rather than the running winger position he prefers. Sydney is playing the kids at the moment because that's all they have left, and his future going into his eighth campaign is contingent on others on the Bloods list.
Taylor chasing tail
Signed during the trade period in exchange for pick 48, Lewis Taylor joins the red and white following 112 matches with the Lions for 88 goals. During that time he produced four respectable 70+ seasons, although was starved for opportunity in the last of them. Sure, he can rack up 25+ touches when he wants to, but he's also prone to ice-cold matches. With Kieren Jack retiring from a half forward flank position and Zak Jones moving on, Taylor has plenty of opportunity to replace the runners and slot straight into the Swans' best 22. Capable of being an above-baseline forward, Taylor deserves to be on the preseason watchlist for a bounce back special.
Taylor's one wood is goals
Coming off his best statistical season, Lewis Taylor regressed slightly in raw numbers last year but lifted his goalscoring rate to boot 21.7 from a full slate of games, which ticked the boxes that his coaches wanted ticked. He kicked at least one goal in the last nine games straight, though most of his fantasy scores in that run were below the forward baseline. Taylor has learned over the years to pay attention to his club coaches, not fantasy coaches. This has led to him being on the fringes of fantasy selection even as he cements his spot in the Brisbane 22. Perhaps if the Lions become a better team, his numbers will benefit. That is a long shot at this stage.
Lewis Taylor was a preseason pick to win the Rising Star award this year, coming off the back of a fabulous finish to the previous year while retaining eligibility. He is still up there in consideration though others have probably gone past him, but Lions fans and his fantasy owners will be quietly pleased that he has largely reproduced his breakout fantasy averages. Perhaps some improvement could have been expected, though injecting Luke Hodge into the mix may have taken some rebound targets away from him. At least second year syndrome has not hit.
Taylor made comeback
One of the few good news stories to come out of Brisbane's forgettable 2017 was the rediscovery of form by Lewis Taylor, jumping almost 20 points per game from a shocker the previous year. Most pleasingly, he doubled his inside 50 and goal assist counts, and increased metres gained by 130 per game to underline his position more to the attacking half. His club coaches loved the small increases he made in tackles and contested possessions, but perhaps the most impressive part of it was Taylor maintaining a disposal efficiency of 75%, even though he was often kicking to outnumbered or outpositioned forwards. He has resurrected his career, and deserves a late pick.
