Noel ''Squizzy" Taylor is part of a rare footballing family. His father Cliff "Beau" Taylor played senior AFL football with Geelong. Taylor himself played the 1965 season with Hawthorn, while son Jason has made a name for himself with Fitzroy, Hawthorn and more recently Collingwood. In all, three generations of Taylors have played senior AFL footy.
Noel Taylor started his senior football career in 1961 with New Norfolk under the guidance of coach Athol Webb. His second season in 1962 turned out to be a corker! The team looked destined to go winless for the season under non playing coach Lyn Harris. However the last roster game of the year saw them defeat the star studded, second placed, Hobart team to deny them the "double chance" for the finals.
Taylor was originally a full back, but during the 1964 season he was swung into the ruck to fill-in for the injury depleted Eagles during their finals campaign. Grand final day saw the Eagles go down fighting by 12 points to a strong Sandy Bay combination. They waited four years to get that opportunity again. This time, against raging hot favourites, North Hobart and with Taylor at his very best at Full back, they didn't let their supporters down.
It was 1968 and the Eagles registered their first flag success with a 5 goal victory. Taylor starred, with his marking and trade mark long kicking a highlight. He was named best man on the ground. Football commentators rated his effort "as one of the best fullback performances ever seen at North Hobart." Taylor and his team mates then repeated the dose against Northern premier, Scottsdale, to take the coveted State Title.
Two days after the southern final Taylor's wife, Pam, gave birth to their second child, Jason who went on to play AFL football. What a week in the Taylor household! And who will ever forget his rendition on Grand Final night of "Running Bear" - an effort that saw him tagged with the name for years after.
Taylor continued with the Eagles; playing over 200 games and representing the TFL numerous times before a coaching stint with Mangalore in the mid seventies. After that he made a brief, but somewhat fiery, appearance with Maydena in 1979 before finally hanging up his boots. Football however, was his lifeblood. He returned to the Eagles as a selector and runner, enjoying success with their 1982 premiership. Taylor's involvement with the club also includes coaching, committeeman and membership of the board of directors. It is only in the past two years that he has not held any official capacity with the Eagles; an association that goes back almost 40 years.
Career highlights include the premiership in 1968 but also vivid in his mind is a game against North Hobart, at Boyer, back in the early sixties. Graeme "Stork" Courtney "opened up" on Robert "Boy" Wilton after the siren sending him into the "land of nod." With that, all hell broke loose with spectators, players and officials involved in one the biggest brawls ever seen in TFL football. An hour later control was restored, but not before Courtney left Boyer under police escort.
Great players of his era included John Devine
and Dickie Collins
from North Hobart with Hobart's Arthur Cole a real high flier. So much so that Taylor claims Cole soared over him to mark one day, and was higher than the point post - some leap! Of his team mates none could match the skill and toughness of Colin Glover while the three Browning brothers had exceptional talent in different ways.
Married to Pam they have three children; Lisa and Carmen who enjoy netball while Jason has well and truly made the grade at AFL level.
These days Taylor is semi retired but still follows his beloved New Norfolk
Eagles.
Taylor has been a marvellous stalwart to the club and has virtually held every position with the Eagles/Hawks from player, coach, committee man, runner, selector - you name it he's done it; even boot studder - although not officially.
Noel Taylor - probably the best kick TFL football has seen; a premiership player, a great clubman, but most importantly a New Norfolk man through and through.
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