{"id":284976,"date":"2025-11-14T23:41:08","date_gmt":"2025-11-14T23:41:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/284976\/"},"modified":"2025-11-14T23:41:08","modified_gmt":"2025-11-14T23:41:08","slug":"xavier-taylor-profile-eastern-ranges-stats-richmond-tigers-link-melbourne-demons-essendon-bombers-analysis-latest-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/284976\/","title":{"rendered":"Xavier Taylor profile, Eastern Ranges stats, Richmond Tigers link, Melbourne Demons, Essendon Bombers, analysis, latest news"},"content":{"rendered":"

Xavier Taylor has been \u201cconsistently linked with\u201d a Victorian powerhouse<\/a> come next Wednesday night\u2019s AFL draft, following a rapid ascent up club boards this year. <\/p>\n

But while there\u2019s a triple premiership player at that club he\u2019s drawn an apt comparison to, there\u2019ll be a couple of other keen sides ready and waiting to pounce. <\/p>\n

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Richmond looms as perhaps Taylor\u2019s likeliest destination when names are read out on November 19; almost certainly a top-10 pick as the premier defender of this year\u2019s open pool. <\/p>\n

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The East Ringwood product, along with Eastern Ranges teammate Sullivan Robey and Oakleigh Chargers speedster Sam Grlj, are the three open-pool players \u201cconsistently linked with Richmond\u201d, according to Fox Footy draft expert Ben Waterworth<\/a>. <\/p>\n

RELATED: Best draft prospects ranked 1-50 \u2014 AFL stars they play like and latest club interest intel<\/a><\/p>\n

Taylor had a stellar season for Ranges that saw him rocket into early-first-round calculations, averaging 18.3 disposals and 6.4 marks across 17 games. <\/p>\n

The 18-year-old was just as impressive while representing Victoria Metro, exhibiting his one-on-one ability and defensive positioning, as well as his improved offensive game late in the carnival. <\/p>\n

\u201cHe should be a no-brainer (first-round pick),\u201d Ranges teammate and fellow likely top-10 pick Robey told Foxfooty.com.au<\/a> at the Draft Combine. <\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a very competitive player, and he\u2019s got a lot of skill sets. I think he\u2019d thrive at any AFL club and really succeed.\u201d<\/p>\n

Headlining Taylor\u2019s eye-opening campaign this year was a best-on-ground performance in Eastern Ranges\u2019 15-point Coates Talent League grand final win over the Sandringham Dragons. <\/p>\n

Taylor, a capable distributor across half-back who also controls the airways at 191 centimetres, posted 25 disposals and 15 marks at Ikon Park to propel his side to silverware. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt was pretty handy,\u201d Robey said of Taylor\u2019s dazzling effort in the big dance. <\/p>\n

\u201cHis intercepts and marks and the rebound-50s he had were really impressive, and I think that\u2019s what got us over the line.\u201d<\/p>\n

READ ALSO: Inside unlikely rise of biggest AFL draft bolter in 10 years\u2026 who\u2019s met with 18 clubs<\/a><\/p>\n

Xavier Taylor in action during the Coates Talent League Boys Testing at Narrandjeri Stadium in March 2024. (Photo by Martin Keep\/AFL Photos\/via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n

Taylor \u201cwasn\u2019t on the radar\u201d last year like he was this year, averaging 13.3 disposals and 4.9 marks in 15 games in his bottom-age Ranges campaign. <\/p>\n

But he came on this year as a willing interceptor and daring counter-attacker, and now, outside of the Carlton-tied Harry Dean, there isn\u2019t a better back-six prospect on the board. <\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m so proud of him. He\u2019s my best mate. The last 18 months, ever since (we were) under-16s, we\u2019ve been so close,\u201d fellow Eastern Ranges teammate Lachy Dovaston told Foxfooty.com.au at the Draft Combine. <\/p>\n

\u201cJust to see his hard work \u2014 last year I thought was really good, but (he) just wasn\u2019t on the radar as much. <\/p>\n

\u201cBut you just saw how hard he worked in the off-season \u2014 the amount of stuff we did together, like running and ball stuff, he really worked on his kicking. <\/p>\n

\u201cHe worked so hard and deserved it. I\u2019m not surprised at all that now he\u2019s in the top-10 mix.\u201d<\/p>\n

Xavier Taylor of Victoria Metro competes during the Marsh AFL National Championships U18 Boys match between Allies and Victoria Metro at Brighton Homes Arena, on July 13, 2025, in Ipswich, Australia. (Photo by Albert Perez\/AFL Photos via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n

Taylor, a childhood Richmond fan, has drawn a befitting comparison to triple premiership Tigers defender Nathan Broad, given his flexibility to be able to play on taller and smaller forwards.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think he says that because he goes for Richmond, but I think it\u2019s fair,\u201d Dovaston said. <\/p>\n

But there\u2019s also an undeniable aspect of flair in Taylor\u2019s game that not even Broad\u2019s boasted at AFL level, seeing him also compared to the likes of electrifying Hawk Josh Weddle due to his counterpunch ability. <\/p>\n

\u201cI think he\u2019d like to say Josh Weddle as well. He tries to practice the bounce and taking (the footy) in one arm,\u201d Dovaston continued. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not like he can\u2019t only play one position; he can play multiple positions. Even in the backline, he can play tall or small, so I think he\u2019s his own player as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Skipper Merrett return to Tullamarine | 00:34<\/p>\n

It\u2019s little surprise that Richmond \u2014 armed with Picks 3 and 4 \u2014 is heavily considering Taylor, given the aforementioned Broad and fellow triple flag-winner Nick Vlastuin are nearing the ends of their decorated careers. <\/p>\n

Theoretically, Taylor would form a tantalising long-term tandem with fellow mid-sized backman Tom Brown, with key defenders Ben Miller and Josh Gibcus in place for the foreseeable future, and Noah Balta playing a swingman role. <\/p>\n

But recruiting boss Rhy Gieschen and the Tigers will also strongly weigh up taking forward-half weapon Robey and the pacy Grlj, with the latter hypothetically forging a line-breaking partnership with half-backer Sam Banks. <\/p>\n

And if Taylor slips past Richmond, Essendon \u2014 Picks 5 and 6 \u2014 and Melbourne \u2014 7 and 8 \u2014 will be waiting with anticipation. <\/p>\n

MEGA AFL DRAFT MAIL: When clubs will launch bids \u2014 and young guns who could slip through \u2014 as wide ranges explained<\/a><\/p>\n

Waterworth said that \u201cmost would be shocked if Richmond overlooked Taylor\u201d<\/a>, but it\u2019s also tough to overlook centre-forward dynamos and damaging counterpunch players in the modern game. <\/p>\n

The Demons lost Judd McVee \u2014 a similar sort of player \u2014 to Fremantle in this year\u2019s trade period and are prioritising youth in their backline under first-year senior coach Steven King. Taylor seems a snug fit. <\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the Bombers have had more than a few defensive issues of their own through recent seasons and should be targeting a player exactly of Taylor\u2019s ilk. <\/p>\n

But whether it\u2019s Tigerland or elsewhere, it\u2019d be a sure surprise if Taylor slipped outside the top 10 picks. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Xavier Taylor has been \u201cconsistently linked with\u201d a Victorian powerhouse come next Wednesday night\u2019s AFL draft, following a…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":284977,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[560],"tags":[638,3486,64,63,689,55,639,164633,164632,27764,3423,31746,33312,164639,147900,164625,164628,164629,15632,127778,93812,164638,3435,164634,78975,2105,11288,2536,164631,3231,164626,19276,60607,647,7804,3440,3479,17985,3436,677,5849,164623,161668,90130,164624,164640,164636,672,19278,164627,85,79260,79471,164637,7200,164635,164630,1133,13154,111710,660,3522,15691,3517,25581],"class_list":["post-284976","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-afl","tag-afl","tag-albert-perez","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-australia-and-new-zealand","tag-australian-football-league","tag-australianfootballleague","tag-back-six-prospect","tag-ball-stuff","tag-ben-miller","tag-ben-waterworth","tag-best-on-ground-performance","tag-boys-match","tag-centre-forward-dynamos","tag-club-interest-intel","tag-coates-talent-league-boys-testing","tag-damaging-counterpunch-players","tag-defensive-issues","tag-defensive-positioning","tag-draft-mail","tag-draft-prospects","tag-early-first-round-calculations","tag-eastern-ranges","tag-eye-opening-top-age-campaign","tag-first-year-senior-coach","tag-getty-images-inc","tag-grand-final","tag-harry-dean","tag-hawk-josh-weddle","tag-jack-jovanovski","tag-keen-sides-ready","tag-lachy-dovaston","tag-martin-keep","tag-melbourne","tag-melbourne-demons","tag-multiple-positions","tag-national-championships","tag-nick-vlastuin","tag-oakleigh-chargers","tag-oceania","tag-offensive-game","tag-open-pool","tag-open-pool-players","tag-rapid-ascent","tag-recruiting-boss","tag-relative-unknown","tag-richmond-looms","tag-richmond-tigers","tag-sam-grlj","tag-skill-sets","tag-sports","tag-steven-king","tag-sullivan-robey","tag-swingman-role","tag-sydney-swans","tag-the-east-ringwood","tag-tom-brown","tag-trade-period","tag-triple-premiership","tag-triple-premiership-player","tag-victoria","tag-victoria-metro","tag-xavier-taylor","tag-young-guns","tag-zach-merrett"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/284976","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=284976"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/284976\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/284977"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=284976"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=284976"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=284976"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}