2013 reviews: Taylor, Hunt, Kelly
Assistant coach, Dale Amos, gives a season wrap-up on Taylor's, Hunt's and Kelly's performance for the year.
7 Harry Taylor
Taylor was recognized for another standout year. He received his second All-Australian team award and came runner up in Geelong’s best and fairest. The 27-year-old defender played 24 games including three finals where he averaged 16.7 disposals with 11.1 kicks and 5.6 handballs per game. The valuable Cat also averaged 76.2 dreamteam points during every clash and 7.3 marks, which placed him third in the league for number of marks taken each game, following Nick Riewoldt on 9.6 and Travis Cloke 8.6.
Amos' review:
He was outstanding. Played on the big key forwards every week and also swung forward at times and kicked some goals. Bagged five against the Bulldogs early in the year after starting as a forward, and there's no doubt he would kick a lot of goals if he played as a permanent forward. But we need him down back. He had a great game on Kurt Tippett when we beat the Swans in round 22. He played on Josh Kennedy when he beat the Eagles in Perth a couple of weeks before that and held him goalless. And every time we played Hawthorn he did well on Jarryd Roughead. He has a huge influence on games. He was runner-up in our best and fairest, made the All Australian team and he's the sort of bloke who doesn't need much coaching. We're delighted he's signed up for another five years.
8 Josh Hunt (delisted)
The 198-game-player came into the 2013 season late, after being struck with glandular fever during preseason training. In round 8 against Collingwood Hunt returned and went onto play 12 games including two finals. During the season he averaged 14.3 disposals, with 8.7 kicks and 5.6 handballs, along with 4.5 marks and 56.8 dreamteam points per game. Before his AFL comeback Hunt played eight games with Geelong’s VFL, where he delivered an average of 13.25 efficient disposals, 6.1 marks and 3.1 tackles per game.
Amos' review:
He had an up and down season, but his good was very good. His bout of glandular fever held him back at the start of the year, but he recovered to play some very good footy in the backline. He was a very influential player at our club for a long period of time, and everything he achieved is a credit to him.
9 James Kelly
The tough midfielder had another outstanding year out on the field, where he played 20 games including three finals. He averaged 3.8 inside-50s and 21.8 disposals per game with 11.7 kicks and 10.1 handballs. The 29-year-old also averaged a high of 7.6 tackles every game, which placed him equal first with Scott Selwood for the most number of tackles per game in the league for 2013.
Amos' review:
The last half of Kel's year was very good. In the big games in the finals his contest work was critical for us. He played on some dangerous opposition midfielders and was instrumental in the way we finished the season. His first half of the season wasn't as good, but he made up for it with an outstanding finish. Hopefully it's a catalyst for him to have another great season next year.