Harry Taylor boots 17 goals for Northampton in game against Mullewa in Great Northern Football League

Harry Taylor is back in Geraldton and in full force — as Mullewa can testify. The giant Northampton local, better known as a defender in his AFL days, kicked 17 goals against the Saints on Saturday — more than half his team’s total and more than double the opponent’s final score — as the match finished 30.17 (197) to 8.4 (52) in favour of the Rams. Taylor was briefly back in action in the WAFL for East Fremantle earlier this month to bolster their squad after several injuries hit their list. Saints president Mick Wall said the 195cm Taylor had posed a bit of a challenge for his team. “We had one player over six foot in our side,” Wall said. “We knew we were in a bit of trouble. We’ve only got three blokes over six foot in our whole club and one was injured and one at work.” Zac Papertalk, about 188cm, was the only player over 183cm who took the field for the Saints, playing in the ruck. Taylor’s haul was a club record, but not a league record. The previous best in a game for the Rams was 12, set by Paul Arnold against Chapman Valley in 1988. Taylor now has 62 goals for the season and the club record of 69, set by Malcolm Gould in 1969, is under threat. Mullewa player Dave Wallam kicked 23 in a game against the Brigades in 1985. Gordon Tunbridge kicked 17 for Mullewa in 1964, also against the Brigades, while Bevan Rose kicked the same amount for the Railways against Chapman Valley in 1981. It’s understood that Taylor, a dual premiership winner with Geelong, played only one game for the Sharks before returning to the GNFL.