Canberra should give Dave Taylor a miss

Roar Guru

18th October, 2016

1382 Reads

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Dave Taylor has officially signed with the Canberra Raiders. (AAP Image/ Action Photographics, Colin Whelan)

Patrick Sills

Roar Guru

18th October, 2016

1382 Reads

News is breaking that the Canberra Raiders may be set to throw former Queensland representative forward David Taylor a lifeline by letting him prove himself at training.

Will a Dave Taylor return will actually benefit the Raiders current crop of players?

Taylor’s career so far has produced either very hot performances or a cold mentality. When he shows up to play he can be one of the most devastating and skilful players on the pitch, but when he’s not, you can question his credentials as a professional rugby league player.

Now I myself am a big Dave Taylor fan. For a larger man he has fantastic ball skills and a surprisingly decent kicking game. Not only that but he has a likeable persona, and is a real character of the game. He has played for Australia and for Queensland in State of Origin.

I’d love to see him back in the NRL, but is he really what Ricky’s Raiders need right now?

The Raiders should be playing finals football next season, and if they build on their form from this year, they may just go all the way. They have plenty of big boppers in their line-up already, and Taylor’s inconsistent history may have a negative impact on the way they operate.

At this stage he’s only being trialled at the club, no official signing has been made and there may be no official signing in the future. But nevertheless I still think the Raiders would be better off without Taylor.

Now this isn’t saying Taylor doesn’t belong in rugby league or the NRL. There are plenty of clubs out there that could do with the size and impact. The Canberra Raiders just aren’t one of them.

What do you think Roarers? Does the former Brisbane Bronco, Gold Coast Titan and South Sydney Rabbitoh deserve a shot in the nation’s capital?

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