This time last year, Bulldog Taylor Duryea marked over Giants’ Brent Daniels. They’re likely to cross paths at some time this Saturday when Duryea plays his 200th game. Photo: AAP.
Former Corowa resident and Wahgunyah footballer Taylor Duryea will play his 200th AFL game this Saturday when the Western Bulldogs take on the Giants in Sydney.
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He is Wahgunyah’s most decorated footballer, having played in two premierships at Hawthorn in 2014 and 2015, and as a grand-finalist with the Western Bulldogs in 2021.
The 33-year-old played 118 games with the Hawks (21 goals) and has played 81 games (four goals) with the Bulldogs.
The former Corowa resident attended St Mary’s Primary School and Corowa High School before studying at Caulfield Grammar.
“I am extremely proud,” Duryea told The Free Press on the eve of his 200th game.
“I have achieved more than I could ever have hoped to achieve, particularly on a team level.
“But with all things considered, playing 200 games for me will be my greatest achievement. It’ll fill me with as more pride than any premiership win or personal award. I can’t wait to run through the banner with my son Albie!”
Duryea has been fortunate enough to win at all levels since being drafted. He won a VFL 2’s flag in 2010 (Development League) and a VFL 1’s flag in 2013 for Box Hill Hawks.
In 2016, in Hawthorn colours and where Taylor Duryea played in two premiership sides. Photo: AAP.
“Now I never wanted to be in the VFL seconds nor was it ideal getting dropped from the AFL side on the eve of the 2013 final series, but these are all things that have shaped my resolve and are still highlights on my career and I think fairly represent my journey and growth,” he said.
“Outside of team success I think my 2014 finals series performances were memorable on a personal level. As well as that semi-final win in 2021 against Brisbane where I found myself one-on-one with Charlie Cameron in the dying seconds. Not ideal!”
Despite his current contract ending in 2014, Duryea wants to play at the top level again next year.
The versatile star defender is un-contracted beyond this season. This has been the story for most of his career with seven one-year contracts in 15 years.
“I would obviously love to go around again next year but that will be dependent as always on form and how my body is,” Duryea said. “I’m still highly motivated.”
The Wahgunyah wonder is “definitely interested” in going down the coaching path. He has always loved that side of the game, even as a player and believes he would be well suited to it.
“I’ve always been confident in my ability to analyse and break down details of the game as well as connect with players on personal and professional levels. I would never wish away my playing career so hopefully a career in coaching doesn’t start too soon!”
Although he feels an impossible question to answer as far as the best footballer he’s seen play in his time, Duryea said he has been fortunate to play with some of the best players to ever play the game.
“Leaders like Hodge and Mitchell, defenders such as Lake, Gibson and more recently Liam Jones,” he said. “Then I think of all the great forwards too: Roughead, Rioli, Breust and Gunston.
“I’ll land on two players because they are so different but at the same time so impactful. Truly generational players. Buddy Franklin and Marcus Bontempelli. Need I say more!”
The toughest opponent? “As a small defender most weeks you have challenging small forwards to contend with, but I’ve found the ones who have both speed and aerial ability the hardest to play on. Again, hard to name just one but it would be out of Robbie Gray, Eddie Betts, Jamie Elliot and Charlie Cameron.”
A good golfer, Duryea’s golf game has been rather stagnant since the last big Free Press article in 2021, currently hovering around that 9-10 handicap.
“I need to put in some serious hours if I want to get low singles. But don’t we all! Still a member at Huntingdale but with it currently under redevelopment I haven’t played there much at all. In 12-18 months time it will be pretty special.”
The Western Bulldogger with No. 15 on his back would love to come up to Wahgunyah and surrounds, watch a game at some stage but a training run might be “a bit hard” to get across the line with the Dogs with his commitments.
“Sometime when my AFL career is done, I might find myself back there for a run around. Who knows!”, he said.
He did love being back last year, getting married at Corowa Whisky and Chocolate Factory.
“Drucey (Dean Druce) and Bec (Smith) were phenomenal hosts and really did an amazing job in pulling it all together,” he said.
“We weren’t sure where we wanted to have the day for a while but thought why not have it in Corowa and give all of our family and friends a reason to get away for the weekend. We called it a destination wedding haha! Jade and I had the most amazing day.
“Plenty of teammates from both teams (Hawks and Doggies) plus lots of other friends and family (both really big) so it was a pretty large wedding. Super fun!”
Taylor Duryea is so highly thought of throughout the whole Corowa district.
“You wouldn’t find a better kid than Taylor – he’s just a great kid,” former Wahgunyah teammate Brian Eales told The Free Press when we did the story leading into the 2021 grand final.
Duryea played junior football with Wahgunyah and at age 14, played a few games in the seniors.
“In his first game he kicked five against Rennie,” Eales said.
“He played with his stepfather Ian Rogers and I’ll never forget, he took this hanger on top of Ian! It happened on Taylor’s wing, at Wahgunyah.”
Duryea said: “My earliest memories of playing at Wahgunyah are watching my brother play and win a thirds grand final (then Under 16s) at the age of 12.
“It took me a few years after that to get a game but I was able to train with the thirds team from the age of nine or 10 before playing regularly in the years after. I definitely credit a lot of my development to training and playing under 16s when I was quite young as it pushed me to rise to the level and challenge myself against much older kids.”
Duryea played “four or five years” of under 16s before making his senior debut at 15.
“I only played a handful of games each year in my teenage years as I was at boarding school in Melbourne,” he said.
“I was fortunate enough to play senior level finals during those years and again being exposed to playing with men at that age certainly helped me in my transition to AFL/VFL football.”
Taylor’s stepdad Ian Rogers was the thirds coach at the time his brother was playing, and he let Taylor train/play at the age of nine. He was also coached by cousin Paul Duryea.
“The Wahgunyah Football Netball Club was a wonderful family club and was a great place to play footy,” Duryea said.
A young Taylor Duryea was also a “gun rower” according to long-time Wahgunyah Football Club committeeman and trainer Wes Canny who is also a stalwart at Corowa Rowing Club.
“As a youngster, Taylor competed in state championships, but he was also so talented at football as a kid,” Wes said.
“At about seven or eight-years-of-age he always had a footy in his hands, tagging along behind much older kids in the Under 14 and 16. As he developed, I thought this kid’s got exceptional talent. He’s had great support from his Mum and stepdad.”
Duryea said he is truly so fortunate to do what he does for a living. “I get so much fulfilment from being able to bring joy to my family and friends and want to be able to have a positive impact on as many people as possible,” he said.
“There have been many times in my career I never thought I’d make it so, after many sliding doors’ moments, I’m grateful to still be playing at the highest level and continuing to be able to live out a dream.”
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