Terang Mortlake senior coach Lewy Taylor lived out his lifelong dream when he played 124 AFL matches for Brisbane and Sydney, which included winning the 2014 rising star award. The 29-year-old opens up about his journey and why he came back to coach his junior club.
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LEWY TAYLOR
AT A GLANCE
Born on February 17, 1995.
Partner: Tee.
Dad: Simon. Siblings: Toby and Lachie.
Education: St Coleman's Primary School Mortlake before going to Mercy Regional College Camperdown.
Sporting highlight: I would have to say the day I was drafted to play senior footy with the Brisbane Lions in 2013.
Lewy, you've mentioned being drafted by the Brisbane Lions back in the 2013 draft as your sporting highlight. Did many other AFL clubs show interest in you before the Lions took you at pick 28?
There were a few clubs that had chats to me but you never really know how it's going to pan out. Melbourne, Greater Western Sydney, Fremantle, St Kilda and Brisbane all spoke to me. The talk was at the time that Fremantle were going to take me as pick 29 but Brisbane got in before them with pick 28. I was just happy to be drafted. It's every young blokes dream to get drafted and to play in the AFL and I was fortunate to have done that. I was extremely lucky to have got drafted to the Brisbane Lions. They were a great club for me and still are today.
Who was your first coach at the Brisbane Lions?
Justin Leppitsch was my first coach in the AFL at the Lions. He was great to me and then Chris Fagan took over as coach in 2017. Chris is a tremendous people person. He has the ability and knowledge to tap into people's weaknesses and strengths. I loved my time playing 112 games with the Lions. I was fortunate to have played in the same team as Jonathan Brown and Luke Hodge at the Lions and that was a huge thrill as they are champions of the game. Brisbane is a a wonderful place to live. I would say I might go back and live there one day. One of the main things it offers is great weather. The winter months down here can get pretty cold and miserable but I just loved the warmer climate up north.
Can your remember much about your exit meeting with the Brisbane Lions at the end of 2019?
Yes. The meeting included the coach, general manager of footy and a couple of line coaches. They were very honest in which direction the club was going to take up in the future and I wasn't in those plans. I couldn't complain about the Brisbane Lions. They offered me a chance to play AFL and I played 112 games with them which was an incredible experience. I was traded to the Sydney Swans at the end of the 2019 season and started playing for the Swans in 2020. I ended up playing 12 games for the Swans before being delisted at the end of 2022.
John Longmire is the coach of the Sydney Swans and was coach when you played there. What was he like as a coach?
John was great just like Chris and Justin. They all have to set high standards because all the clubs want success. They are playing for high stakes at the elite level. My time with Sydney was interesting because I played there when COVID was rampant. It was a really challenging time as we were locked up in Cairns in a hub for a time and that got a bit difficult for players that had families.
I think the AFL did an amazing job keeping footy going in that COVID era. I would have to say playing in the same side as Buddy Franklin in one game with the Sydney Swans was a huge thrill. I'll never forget I was with the Sydney Swans when Buddy booted his 1000th goal at the Sydney Cricket Ground on March 25, 2022. It was an amazing night. The hype before and after Buddy kicked the 1000th goal was truly remarkable and it's something I'll never forget. Buddy was just a great bloke and an incredible player. He was always there offering support and encouragement to the younger players.
I must admit I still pinch myself to think that I've played in the same sides as AFL champions like Buddy, Jon Brown, Luke Hodge, Dayne Zorko and Josh Kennedy to name just a few. I was very lucky with my career in the AFL.
Lewy, let's go back for a moment among you're achievements at AFL level, you were voted the AFL's rising star in 2014 and interestingly you beat star Western Bulldogs midfielder Marcus Bontempelli by one vote to take out the prestigious award. What are your memories of that achievement?
It was pretty special personally to win the award but I would prefer team success. My dad Simon and brother Toby were in Melbourne for the function and that made the win even more memorable.
The 2024 footy season saw you take over as the playing coach at Terang Mortlake and the senior side is in fourth spot on the ladder with seven wins. Have you been happy how the senior side is progressing at this stage of the season and were you always going to come back as the senior coach at your junior club?
I suppose it was in the back of my mind to come back to where my career began. I had been interstate for nine years so I wanted to get back to family and friends while I was away and I always kept a close watch on how Terang Mortlake was progressing and how games were going in the Hampden league.
We're going along all right but it's a very even competition. We put in a solid pre-season which has really helped our chances. I hate to use the old saying but we're only taking it one week at a time. We're not getting in front of ourselves. The standard of footy in the Hampden League is great for country footy. Sides like South Warrnambool, North Warrnambool, Warrnambool and Koroit are the benchmark teams in the competition.
Having former AFL players like Nathan Vardy and Ben Cunnington really lifts the profile of the league. We've got some good young players at Terang Mortlake and the future looks really bright for the club but as I said we're just taking things quietly.
