Luke Taylor reaches 150th for Sea Eagles

Taylor, who will play his 150^th senior game for the club this Saturday has enjoyed five premiership flags and six years in the captaincy since his debut in 2010.

His Sapphire Coast AFL origins lie with the Merimbula Marlins, making a start in 2005 and playing two seasons with the club before they folded in 2008.

"That's where I got to know Brad McBain and his family, when they folded I went down to Lakes Entrance and played a couple of years down there - [my wife] Kristy's family is all from down in Gippsland," Taylor said.

"So when we came back in 2009 Brad had taken on the coaching role at Tathra and I was never really going to go to the Diggers given I had played for the other Merimbula team."

Through a few earlier rep appearances at the Marlins, Taylor said he had come to know players like Luke Munday, but also prolific Tathra footballers Croc and Frog Little so the shift seemed like the natural progression.

In 2010 he debuted with the Sea Eagles where the club would go on to win an undefeated premiership and back it up with four consecutive flags from 2010 right through to 2013.

"I had played about 15 years of seniors in Victoria and at the Marlins and never played in a final leading up to that 2010 season," Taylor said. "[My teams] had always finished just outside the finals, so when I got the chance to play for Tathra and win that flag, it was a pretty amazing feeling."

"I got to Tathra and all of a sudden winning four in a row it was going zero to hero pretty quickly."

He captained the 2011 squad to their second straight premiership, before taking the reins as coach in 2013 where the club claimed its fourth straight before the Pambula Panthers rose to dominance for a few years.

"2013, that was my first year as coach and I was pretty lucky to inherit a good team from the boys before me," Taylor said.

"I've been really lucky to have the players around to be able to execute what you want to as coach."

He would go on to serve as coach for the 2014 season and shared the captaincy with Scott Hay when the Tathra-Bega combine secured the 2016 premiership.

"I must admit that was pretty monumental - to get those guys to gel at that point," Taylor said of a deal to merge the two clubs close to the season start.

"Bega had been on their knees and we were struggling for players as well, but for that group to bond together was incredible."

He said it had been a deal struck at the 11^th hour with Matt Fleet a driving force behind the merge and a person Taylor had already grown to respect from their time together at the Marlins.

2020 marks six years in the captaincy for Taylor. "Someone told me I've captained more years than anyone at the club and that's a pretty big feat," he said.

"I've been prettry lucky to play in some pretty good teams and its always easy to lead the team when you've got that calibre of talent around you."

From four premierships in a row, to Mitch May's record setting year, 140 goals in the home and away season and 158 in total, to sharing five premierships with long-time team mates Croc Little and Troy O'Loghlin.

"It's been a real changing of the guard, I think Troy and I are the last ones remaining from my origins, but I'm happy Croc has stepped back in because I'm not the oldest again," he says with a laugh.

They're also two of the most memorable names for Taylor over the last decade.

"Croc makes you walk a bit taller and you feel more confident with him on the field," Taylor said.

Then obviously I think the guy is probably the best player I've played with is Goiter [Troy].

Adam Blacka is another one, he's been a massive part of my footy career - I've won four flags with him and if he's on the field you know something can happen.

"If you spoke about consistency and what you want your team to be [Troy would] be my first pick every week - he's probably the top of the tree for me."

O'Loghlin said he always looked to Taylor as a leader within the Sea Eagles.

"I've played probably the most part of those 150 with him and he's always been a top player and a massive leader for our club in general," O'Loghlin said.

"He's always led the way, he's achieved a lot - he's coached and captained the club to premierships.

"He's won just about every award you can and he deserves his time this weekend, hope we can put the win on for him."

Going into the weekend, Taylor said he is excited to play the milestone against Pambula's Sean Smith, one of his iconic rivals over the past 10 years.

"He came into the comp at the same time and we've shared a similar trajectory, I played in his 200^th and to play against him in my 150^th will be pretty special," he said.

"Consistency wise, I think he is one of the strongest opponents I've faced in my decade at Tathra."

"When I first started at Tathra it was Will Regan's dad Ronny that caught me out the most, he was so fit he could just run all day and he was always finding the footy.

"But the one that stands out is Luke Moresi, he's been a jet, up until he retired he was unbeatable - a three-time league best and fairest."

Off the field, Taylor said it was hard to look past the impact both Brad McBain and Rob Little had been on his senior playing career.

"Brad he's been a massive influence on my career," Taylor said noting he had followed McBain to Tathra and played under him with McBain as captain or coach of the club.

"It's hard to go past Frog - for him to show as much passion as he does year in year-out for the last 50 odd years - he's been a pillar of strength for that footy club since day one."

Dave Gartside is another who has been around and played a big role in Taylor's career, he was president through the club's dominant run and a foundation of support for teams and Taylor as he stepped into the captaincy.

Moving forward, Taylor said there's a few years left in the tank, but he's confident the Eagles have players in place to move the club forward.

"Shane Gartside and Jack Hukins, guys like that have the nuts and bolts to take the team forward."