Troy Taylor reflects on his career in football and being a part-time stripper

BRENT GODDE: You played the majority of your junior football at Lavington?

TROY TAYLOR: We had a fairly hand side and I played in three flags by the time I was 15.

BG: You played a lot of your junior football against a young Brett Kirk?

TT: Kirky was at North Albury but was a couple of years younger than me. We were similar players in that we weren't afraid to put our head over the ball but history says he was a lot more talented than me.

BG: You also had a stint at Jindera in the thirds?

TT: I decided to follow a few mates out there.

BG: It was at the kennel where you first met Max Duncan and became lifelong mates?

TT: Max was my junior coach and we became good mates. I was godfather for his daughter Yasmin who was tragically killed in a car accident in 2010.

BG: Yasmin was only 18 at the time of the accident?

TT: Obviously it was a tough time for everybody involved. Yasmin was such a beautiful kid and had the world at her feet.

BG: You made your senior debut for Jindera in the early 1990s under coach Ross Hillary?

TT: I started out under Ross but he wasn't there long after a pay dispute with Jindera officials.

BG: You were confronted by a few East Lavington supporters after one match who wanted to fight you?

TT: I was fairly crazy in my attack on the ball for most of my career and a few of the Saints' supporters wanted revenge after I cleaned up some of their players.

BG: Did things get ugly?

TT: They were about to but 'Rossco' and his big barrel chest came to my rescue and told the Saints supporters to tell their story walking. They didn't have to be told twice.

BG: You also played under Dallas Kotzur and Peter Murray during your time at the kennel.

TT: I was fortunate enough to play under three legends in Hillary, Kotzur and Murray. I won the best and fairest the season Peter coached.

BG: Murray didn't rate you as the most skillful player he has seen?

TT: I remember he was addressing the players at one huddle and pointed at me and said 'this bloke, no skill, no skill at all but he has a crack.'

BG: A bit of a slap in the face?

TT: I joked with Pete after the match that he could have stopped with no skill.

BG: You are the first to admit that what you lacked in skill you tried to make up for with heart and determination?

TT: I remember when I first joined Howlong Dennis Sandral actually asked me 'are you a left or right footer Troy?'

BG: Was that a compliment?

TT: Far from it, it was Dennis' way of saying that he thought that I couldn't kick well on either side of my body.

BG: Was that a fair assessment of your kicking?

TT: Let's just say I thought I was a good kick, not a great kick.

BG: Hillary wasn't a fan of your kicking style either.

TT: Ross used to tell me he would always wait until I kicked the ball before he would lead because he knew I wouldn't hit him lace out.

BG: Jindera struggled to win a match during that era?

TT: We were on the bottom of the ladder. Big Tim Cossor was our ruckman who I rate as one of the best blokes I met over my football journey.

BG: You suffered a lot of concussions throughout your career?

TT: It would have been more than 50.

BG: Wow, how do you explain that?

TT: That's what happens when you lead with your head.

BG: You had a poor technique when you went for a contested ball?

TT: When I was playing for Corryong in the Upper Murray, Max Duncan was coaching Cudgewa. Max used to tell his players 'Troy will lead with his head, take it out.'

BG: Who needs enemies when you've got friends like Max?

TT: That's football, Max was just pointing out to his players on the way I attacked the ball.

BG: How many times were you knocked out cold throughout your career?

TT: Only twice.

BG: Did you go to hospital?

TT: Never, I would just come off the ground and be in ga ga land for a while. The worst hit I copped was against Lockhart in a final when I was at Howlong.

BG: You were involved in a serious crash when you rolled your ute on the way to work one morning?

TT: I had a head knock in the accident which led to me being concussed regularly that season.

BG: How often are we talking?

TT: It would have been at least eight, maybe more. One match I lost all feeling down the right side of my body. I stayed on the field which with hindsight was a bit stupid on my behalf.

BG: Have you got any long term effects?

TT: I may have but I don't know for certain. I still feel my memory is pretty good.

BG: How did you crash your ute?

TT: I fell asleep at the wheel going to work one morning.

BG: You were lucky to escape serious injury?

TT: The ute was a write-off and I was lucky because the ute somersaulted onto the opposite side of the road. But I just climbed out relatively unscathed and had the apprentice in the ute as well.

BG: What position did you predominantly play?

TT: Mainly on a back flank, especially during my time at Howlong.

BG: How did you end up at Howlong?

TT: I was going to have a year off but one of my junior coaches Phil Bullivant coaxed me into joining Howlong in 1996.

BG: The following season in 1997 you decided to have a crack at the O&M and joined Wodonga?

TT: I gave myself the goal of six weeks to make the seniors, otherwise I would return to Howlong. Darren Denneman was coach of the Bulldogs.

BG: How did you go?

TT: It was the fourth round and I sat the first-half on the bench for the reserves and then came on and was awarded best-on-ground.

BG: Not a bad effort?

TT: I wasn't happy about being on the bench so I drove from Wangaratta to Howlong to watch the Spiders.

BG: You approached Dennis Sandral about returning to the Spiders?

TT: I saw Dennis after the match and asked if he wanted me back and he said 'definitely.'

BG: It proved to be a smart move because the Spiders won the flag in 1997.

TT: I got to play on the back flank next to Dennis which suited me fine. I rate Dennis and Ray Mack as the two toughest blokes that I have played with.

BG: No doubt it would have given you a bit of confidence playing alongside them.

TT: Dennis and Ray are the type of blokes that make little blokes like me stand that bit taller.

BG: You would have thought you were bullet proof at Howlong with Dennis, Ben Cain, Darren Cooper and Gary Ziebell in the side.

TT: We did have some crazy cats in the side.

BG: What is your recollection of why Cain got reported in the 2000 second semi-final against Osborne?

TT: Benny got bit on the fingers by an Osborne player who I won't name.

BG: How did Cain react?

TT: Benny flogged the bloke who did it and hence why he was reported. It took the gloss off getting into the grand final after beating Osborne by one point when he wasn't allowed to play.

BG: Osborne produced a stunning turnaround in the decider to flog the Spiders by 80-points?

TT: I think it all came down to the mindset. Because Benny got outed we wanted to seek revenge and start fights instead of getting the football.

BG: It was a fiery grand final?

TT: We probably won the fights but to Osborne's credit, they focussed on the ball and really hurt us on the scoreboard.

BG: You had a standout season in 1999 personally after finishing runner-up in the Azzi medal?

TT: Lockhart's ruckman Paul Scoullar beat me. Justin Koschitzke finished third and I like to remind everyone that I beat Koschitzke in the medal one year. I don't tell them he was only 16 at the time.

BG: You missed the last three matches?

TT: Culcairn's Andrew Robertson broke my finger. I went to smother the ball and he kicked my finger and shattered it in six places.

BG: Big Gary Ziebell would have been interesting to play alongside?

TT: I was always wary of Gary after he belted his mate when he was playing in the Tallangatta league for Kiewa-Sandy Creek.

BG: Who was that?

TT: I didn't see it myself but apparently Laurie 'Turtle' McInnes was on the bottom of a pack and Gary was on top of him and Laurie said 'you wouldn't be game to belt me.'

BG: It was an invitation Ziebell couldn't refuse.?

TT: I believe Gary broke 'Turtle's' nose.

BG: Ziebell nearly gave you the same treatment when he was playing for Burrumbuttock in 1998?

TT: I went for the ball and Gary let a big left hook go that would have knocked me into next week. Thankfully it missed and I received a free kick.

BG: Ziebell wasn't happy with you?

TT: He stood on the mark and said 'I'll kill you Taylor if I can catch you, you little bastard.'

BG: You cleaned-up your cousin Jason Lieschke in the preliminary final against Walla?

TT: Everyone talks about when Dennis got Ray Mack that day but my cousin ended up in a bad way as well.

BG: What happened?

TT: I didn't know it was my cousin but I flew for the ball and kneed the Walla player in the back. I thought to myself 'that felt sweet.'

BG: Your cousin was worse for wear?

TT: Jason ended up with a punctured lung and had to be carted off to hospital.

BG: During the 1997 season most of the Howlong players would have a beer at the pub on a Thursday night after training?

TT: We did, even the Thursday night before the grand final.

BG: Was Sandral aware of the situation?

TT: After our last training session on the Thursday night before the grand final Dennis said to us 'I know you are all used to having a few beers on a Thursday night but I'd rather you didn't this week.'

BG: Did the players listen?

TT: We all looked at each other and parked out the back of the pub instead of the front. We thought why change our routine that has worked all year.

BG: How many players are we talking about?

TT: It was the whole side with the exception of Dennis, his brother Jim and Jeff Chandler. Even Jason Kohn was there and he was only 17 but he wasn't on the beers.

BG: The Thursday night tradition was to have a few beers and bet on the dishlickers?

TT: We would all put $1 in each race and pick a number and the winner would take the kitty. If you won three races for the night you would have to shout a jug of beer.

BG: Sometimes it would end up being a big night?

TT: A few times we would end up going out in Albury later on the Thursday night, then drive the Howlong boys home and then head back home to Albury.

BG: The players got into Ziebell on the Thursday night before the grand final.

TT: Gary had lost seven grand finals before 1997, so we jokingly told him that he was dropped because we didn't want him cursing us.

BG: You feel you won the 1997 decider against Osborne because you were such a tight-knit group?

TT: I honestly do. Those Thursday night beers were terrific bonding sessions and we were all pretty close as players.

BG: Shane Tanner fractured his leg in the first quarter?

TT: Even though he fractured his leg, he stayed on the ground in a forward pocket and Osborne had to put a good defender on him. Incredibly he was still able to kick a couple of goals.

BG: You were one of the main ringleaders of the grand final celebrations?

TT: I decided to get up on the roof of the clubrooms on the Sunday and did a bit of a dance and stripped all my clothes off.

BG: Were there any females present?

TT: I wouldn't have done it if it was only blokes there. I'm still reminded quite often by a few female Howlong supporters that they have got incriminating photos of me naked.

BG: Damian Hale coached the following year in 1998?

TT: The first night we met Damian, Troy Dight and I juiced him up.

BG: I'm liking the sound of this?

TT: Yeah, unbeknown to Damian he was drinking mid-strength beer with a shot of vodka for a fair while.

BG: Did the cunning stunt work?

TT: It's fair to say Damian wasn't a big drinker and after about half-a-dozen drinks he started slurring his words which was funny at the time.

BG: Hale also used to get a few wake-up calls in the middle of the night?

TT: I was the designated driver a few times where we trained on the Thursday night and then head into Albury for a night on the town and I would drop the boys back off at Howlong.

BG: You would go via Hales' house?

TT: It might be 1 or 2am in the morning but I used to go past Damian's house and drop a few doughies taking the boys home. We just wanted Damian to know we were thinking of him.

BG: Hale landed an interesting recruit from the Northern Territory in Victor Dunn?

TT: Victor was an exceptional player who was on the recruiting radar of the Brisbane Bears but didn't end up playing because he got homesick.

BG: Dunn loved to party?

TT: It's fair to say that Victor loved a good time and having a beer and smoking his billies.

BG: Dunn made an impression in his first practice match with the Spiders?

TT: I think Victor kicked eight goals but was nursing a hangover from the previous night. I'm not sure if he kicked more goals or had more spews in the goal square that day.

BG: You were a big fan of the footy trips away?

TT: There were two reasons I used to play footy for, to play finals and to go on the trip away. Probably the two most memorable with Howlong were to Tathra and Canberra.

BG: You decided to head up to the Upper Murray and play for Corryong in 2001?

TT: Ray Mack was coaching and it was enticing for me to play under one of the legends of country football in this area. I thought I was bulletproof playing alongside him.

BG: Mack flew the flag for you one day when you were knocked out by Dean Lupson who was playing with Federals?

TT: I copped a knee in the head from Lupson and Ray came over to check if I was OK. I said to Ray 'did you see that?' and Ray replied 'Yeah I did, I'm about to go over and speak to him.'

BG: Knowing Mack, I'm guessing he did a little bit more than 'speak' to Lupson?

TT: Ray just went over to Dean and said 'you dirty little pr*ck' as he nailed him with a big uppercut. Dean is not a big bloke compared to Ray and copped a fair flogging.

BG: It sparked a bit of a feud between Mack and the Lupson brothers for the rest of the season?

TT: When we played them the next round, Grant Lupson started gobbing off to Ray and copped a flogging as well.

BG: You played Federal in the grand final in 2001?

TT: We flogged them but Ray told our runner 'Dipper' to let him know when there was five minutes left to go in the match.

BG: I can see where this is heading?

TT: Yeah, 'Dipper' told Ray there was five minutes left and you no prizes for guessing that he jogs off in the direction of Lupson.

BG: They tangled again?

TT: Grant saw Ray coming and it was funny watching him back peddle as Ray planted a few on him. I'm pretty sure Grant got reported because he did or said something to the umpire.

BG: You got best-on-ground in the grand final?

TT: Laurie McInnes was playing for Federal and I was probably lucky to beat him for best on ground honours to be honest.

BG: It was a golden era for the Demons during the early 2000s?

TT: We won a hat-trick of flags in 2001-03 but I missed out in 2003 because I did my knee in the 2002 decider. My brother Adam played in all three flags.

BG: You did start wearing a helmet later in your career?

TT: I had to because my concussions were getting worse. It got to a stage where I was having my first beer after training and I was slurring my words.

BG: Your trainer at Corryong Lynne Emblin had serious concerns about you?

TT: Lynne wouldn't let me play one week because I had had four concussions in the first six weeks of the season.

BG: Ross Hillary was also running around for the Demons during that era?

TT: If I could nominate somebody to have a shot for goal and my life depended on it, I would pick Ross.

BG: The 2001 premiership celebrations were fairly wild?

TT: I'm not exaggerating but I spent the whole day naked in the Corryong Pub on the Sunday.

BG: The clippers came out?

TT: Most blokes got their heads shaved and there were quite a few mohawks.

BG: Who didn't get their head shaved?

TT: Ray wouldn't because of his work but I think he may have got a bit of manscaping done.

BG: You fell asleep during the celebrations?

TT: We were down the clubrooms and I passed out on the stretcher with no clothes on. The boys thought it would be funny to cart me out onto the middle of the oval.

BG: A fairly funny prank?

TT: Federal was having a family day down the ground, I'm not too sure if they saw the funny side of it.

BG: What happened when you woke up?

TT: I just walked into our clubrooms and started talking to one of the supporters and his wife who would have been in their 70s.

BG: His wife didn't care that you were naked?

TT: The old duck gave me a bit of a poke down below with her walking stick and said to her husband 'is this what I have been missing out on all these years?'

BG: You also did quite a few gigs as a stripper in your younger days?

TT: I would have done about 50 gigs at a rough guess.

BG: Was there good money involved in stripping?

TT: It was never about the money, I mainly did it to have a bit of fun.

BG: I remember you did a strip show at Sodens Hotel one night?

TT: That was a funny night. The girls booked a stripper and were disappointed with his performance and wanted more. I got talking to one of the girls and said if they went back into the room I would do a strip for them.

BG: Did you get paid?

TT: On that occasion I didn't, as I said I just used to do it for fun. Some of the things I used to do you would get locked up for if you weren't a stripper.

BG: What kind of gigs did you mainly do?

TT: Mostly hens nights and birthday parties. Birthday parties were a lot tougher gigs to do because there would be males present and they didn't like it when you would touch their missus.

BG: What would have been the most bizarre gig you did?

TT: I did one show where there were only two girls present and a bunch of bikies. It was one of the girls birthday.

BG: You stripped in front of all the bikies?

TT: I knew what I had to do but it was intimidating having 50 bikies watching you.

BG: Any others?

TT: Once I did a cross dressing strip for a bloke on his 40th birthday which was interesting to say the least.

BG: How did your stripping career come about?

TT: I was 18 and I was at a 16th birthday party when I was playing out at Jindera. Originally I was only going to get down to my jocks but I ended up doing the full monty.

BG: Did you advertise in the paper or anything similar that you were a stripper looking for gigs?

TT: All of my bookings were through word of mouth, the more I did it, the more bookings I seemed to get.

BG: How did your partner at the time feel about your stripping career?

TT: At the start she encouraged it but then later on she wanted me to stop so I used to do it on the sly a bit without her knowing.

BG: What do people ask you most about it?

TT: Probably if I ended up getting sex but it wasn't about that, it was just the buzz I got from being an entertainer.

BG: What makes a good stripper?

TT: I like to call it the squeal factor. Once I had the audience squealing, I felt like I had done my job.

BG: Some crowds were tougher than others in regards to the 'squeal factor'?

TT: Sometimes all I had to do was take my g-string off. Others I might have to reach into my bag of tricks and come up with whatever it took to get them to squeal.

BG: Do you have an all-time favourite gig?

TT: Probably that night at Sodens Hotel is hard to beat.