Coal Train almost quit league for NFL

Hello, you either have JavaScript turned off or an old version of Adobe's Flash Player.

THREE years ago Dave Taylor almost quit rugby league to pursue an opportunity to trial for a career in the NFL.

As Taylor prepares for his return to rugby league's biggest arena for Queensland on Wednesday night, it can be revealed that a conversation in Maroons camp in 2011 almost convinced the 122kg backrower to walk away from the NRL forever.

Taylor met former NFL star Colin Scotts during an Origin camp and was told he had the potential to make a career for himself playing American Football.

TIME FOR COAL TRAIN TO HIT TOP SPEED

WHY MAROONS 'LOVE' TO BE UNDERDOGS

Dave Taylor at Queensland State of Origin training. Source: News Corp Australia

At the time Taylor was playing for South Sydney and genuinely considered pursuing the option, to the point that dates and locations were locked in for camps and trials in the US.

Taylor was just weeks away from asking South Sydney for permission to head to the US for trials over Christmas, a move that could potentially have led to a release from the final year of his contract at the Rabbitohs.

The Rockhampton junior had to weigh up the interests of his young family, who desperately wanted to move back to Queensland, and the financial risk of tearing up a $400,000 NRL contract for no guaranteed success in the US.

BIG DOG TAYLOR TO BE LET OFF ORIGIN LEASH

SMITH RACKS UP AIR MILES FOR ORIGIN

Hello, you either have JavaScript turned off or an old version of Adobe's Flash Player.

Ultimately it was his family's needs, his love of rugby league and the desire to claim higher rep honours for Queensland and Australia that helped convinced Taylor to remain in the game.

"He was genuinely interested in it," Taylor's manager Col Davis confirmed.

"It was an idea Dave had but I never got to the point of asking South Sydney because it was all just too hard.

"It was canned because he would have needed three weeks off training to go do it.

"But really at the end of the day Dave wanted to be a Queensland and Australia player too and I think being back in Origin he would think he has made the right decision."

TOUGH MAN SCOTT MAROONS TOP TARGET

HOW GUERRA AND PEARCE CLEANED UP ACT

Dave Taylor and Israel Folau celebrate an Origin win in 2010. Source: News Limited

Taylor and his family returned to Queensland when he signed with the Gold Coast Titans for 2013 and his strong performances this season have helped him finally win his position back in the Origin team.

He might seem nonchalant towards his football, but there is no more passionate Queenslander than Taylor as shown by his emotional one-fingered salute after the 2012 series decider.

Returning to Maroons camp for the first time last week, Taylor was as excited as any rookie and keeping him level-headed has been a major focus for Queensland.

HAGAN CHECKS PLAN OF ATTACK

Hello, you either have JavaScript turned off or an old version of Adobe's Flash Player.

He was greeted in camp by the sledgehammer comment from coach Mal Meninga that Taylor had never done the job for Queensland in his past six Origins.

Skipper Cameron Smith on Monday outlined clear and concise guidelines he wants the 25-year-old to follow to be a valuable contributor to the Maroons on Wednesday night.

Crucially, Smith believes Queensland will see a different Dave Taylor to the one that last graced the Origin arena in 2012.

MENINGA FACES CHERRY-EVANS GAMBLE

A dejected Dave Taylor. Source: News Limited

"I think you might see a different Dave Taylor now he has got another opportunity to put himself in a good position as far as playing a fair few games for Queensland now," Smith said.

"I just think Dave needs to just have a simple mindset and think he has to go out and play like he does for the Titans.

"When he gets the ball just run as hard as he can and make it hard for the Blues to stop him.

"We played the Titans early in the year and he was almost unstoppable. "We all know it's a different brand of footy in State of Origin, but that doesn't take away his ability to run hard and be a threat to the Blues."

Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang

Coal Train almost quit league for NFL

Dengan url

http://sportyhealty.blogspot.com/2014/06/coal-train-almost-quit-league-for-nfl.html

Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya

Coal Train almost quit league for NFL

namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link

Coal Train almost quit league for NFL

sebagai sumbernya