Harry Taylor is looking forward to returning to training and seeing some of his teammates on Monday.

The 261-game veteran spoke to media on Friday shortly after the AFL announced that the 2020 season would resume on June 11.

“It will be good,” Taylor said.

“We have kept in touch a bit on Zoom meetings and via message and then you have been able to train with one other person at different stages, but it will be nice to see the group back together and working together.

“It might take us a little bit to get back into the groove, but I think it will happen pretty quick.”

"A lot of players on AFL lists have played footy since they were seven or eight years of age the whole way through to their life to date, they love playing footy and I am one of those as well and it will be nice to just get back out there and touch the balls as much as we can."

“Hopefully most of our guys have done the work that they need to, so that we can come back and get into training in the most aggressive way that we can.” 

Usually someone who likes to put a lot of work into studying the opposition, Taylor has spent his time in isolation focusing on himself.

“I have done a bit of work on my own game more so than the opposition.”

“This time away from the game has given me a good chance to reflect, kind of like an off season situation in giving me time to look at some of my strengths, my weaknesses and some opportunities over this next little period of what I can work on, all be it in a modified situation.

“I wasn’t sure what the rules for interchange or game time would look like going forward, so I didn’t spend too much time on contemplating all of that yet.”

READ - LETTER TO MEMBERS

The announcement that the season will return in June has given Taylor and his teammates the clarity they needed.

“It gives us a bit of clarity of what our training is between now and the date we play in terms of what we need to get in from workload point of view, a weight point of view, all of those sorts of things and now it allows you to have a bit more definition in your plan.”

Taylor anticipates it will take a little bit of time for the team to find their touch but is confident they will be ready when footy returns.

“Just the reading of the ball, your touch and feel with kicking and disposal does take a little bit of time to get back, but I think everyone is going to be in the same boat.

“It might not be at the level we expect come September or a normal finals campaign, but it will be at a level that will hopefully allow us to compete really well and hopefully for the Cats sake win some games of footy.”


This article is proudly presented by Ford.