Taylor urges Geelong to maintain self-belief and focus
GEELONG champion Harry Taylor has urged his former teammates to keep the faith ahead of their clash with North Melbourne this Sunday.
Taylor, who will return to GMHBA Stadium with Gary Ablett for an official farewell and lap of honour this weekend, drew parallels to where the Cats found themselves at the same point of the season in 2020 before they went on to play in a grand final.
The dual premiership defender said it was important for Geelong players not to listen to any outside noise and instead focus on what they knew and trusted would work for them.
“Obviously it has been a tough start to the year with some big games against some good teams but to be 2-2 it feels — from the outside — a bit like last year,” Taylor said.
“We weren’t exactly flying at the start of the season, we had a few players injured and had interrupted pre-seasons and I dare say there are similar sentiments at the moment.
“As a player, the best thing to do is to internalise; come back to your process, come back to your teammates for advice and feedback, and try to keep training well every session and find little things to improve on.”
Taylor has not been in Victoria
since he retired following the grand final defeat to Richmond, having moved to his home state of Western Australia with his young family.
He avoided the cyclones that have ravaged parts of the state but his football club in Northampton wasn’t as lucky, with the goalposts blown down and parts of the grandstand turned upside down.
Taylor said he was looking forward to getting to Geelong to spend time with old friends, adding it would be a special occasion to share with Ablett on Sunday afternoon.
“I think it will be fantastic, particularly for a lot of Geelong people who have supported the Cats for a number of generations now,” he said.
“Particularly those who loved Gary Ablett senior, who then went and saw Gaz junior so many times, to be able to honour him is pretty special.”