Taylor Made
For The Hard Yards

THE REPUTATION of David Taylor continues to grow, with the schoolboy front-rower helping Toowoomba to overcome arguably the most dominant pack in the competition and ending Redcliffe?s unbeaten start to the season.

In the shade of Shane Webcke?s announced retirement, Taylor is looming more and more as the long-term prospect to lead the Brisbane Broncos forward through the coming decade.

Juggling schoolwork and junior representative commitments, the youngster flies down from Rockhampton most Fridays to join his Toowoomba teammates. He usually trains just once with the squad, plays and then flies back to Central Queensland to make class on Monday.

His ability amongst players his own age is such that many confess to feigning injury and substituting off when he enters the contest.

While he doesn?t strike the same fear into players at the Wizard Cup level, he is quickly proving himself against quality players almost twice as old.

?How do you say it?he has no softness whatsoever to his game,? Toowoomba coach Mark Gee chuckles.

?Everything David does is at 100 per cent.

?He has a big future at the (Broncos) club. He is held in very high regard. It?s up to us to make sure he is given the right environment and direction.?

Along with fellow props Lynden Murphy and Nick Kenny, Taylor was asked by Gee to tackle Redcliffe?s large and experienced forward pack head-on.

The Dolphins had not lost a match in six starts and had averaged 47 points per game in their last four matches.

As if reinforcing the personal task Taylor was up against, a presentation was made at the ground to 33-year-old Redcliffe prop Troy Lindsay, who reached 250 first grade games a fortnight ago.

It could be suggested Lindsay has played in more grand finals than Taylor has gone on dates.

All the same Toowoomba turned heads by shooting to a 12-0 lead and then building to lead 24-10 at halftime.

?I wanted the boys to play Redcliffe at their own game,? said Gee.

?They had to get physical and play through the forwards. That was the challenge set.?

The result means Redcliffe now shares first place with the North Queensland Young Guns, while Toowoomba has moved up to third.

After matching Damian Richters? all-time scoring record in Round Seven, Redcliffe centre Greg Bourke made the record his own with a try and four goals. Bourke now has 1042 career points.

TOOWOOMBA 42 (Chris Muckert 2, , Jamie Simpson 2, Denan Kemp, Joe Clarke, Ben Green tries; Nick Parfitt 7 goals) d REDCLIFFE 28 (Nick Emmett, Gerard Parle, Alwyn Simpson, Marty Turner, Greg Bourke tries; Greg Bourke 4 goals) at Dolphin Oval.

This article is coutesy of the QRL for more Queensland Wizard Cup News and Information visit www.qrl.com.au