AN out-and-out champion player, Zane Taylor deserves the rating of being perhaps the best to ever don Southport’s black and white colours, both as a Magpie, then a Shark.
Joining Southport as a 17-year-old from Footscray, Taylor went on to play 200-plus matches for the club, he spent three seasons with Geelong in the VFL and he also chalked up a record 26 appearances for Queensland.
A tough, superbly fit half-back flanker or on-baller, he was subsequently honoured by the QAFL when the Zane Taylor Medal was struck for the state’s best player in representative games.
Taylor won three VFL reserve grade grand finals in his time with Geelong where he played 27 VFL seniors matches.
At Southport Taylor won four best and fairests, he took the 1985 Grogan Medal and won two Joe Grant Medals for best on ground in grand finals.
He also captained Southport for three grand final wins.
Taylor was inducted into the AFLQ’s Hall of Fame in 2008 and was subsequently named in Southport’s Best of 25 Years of State League side.
