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He might be playing it down as “just another match”, but Wests Tigers NRL Head Coach Jason Taylor will bring up a special milestone on Saturday, May 23 when his side takes on the North Queensland Cowboys for their Round 11 clash.

Having joined Wests Tigers at the start of the season following previous coaching stints with the Parramatta Eels (2006), South Sydney Rabbitohs (2007-09) and Sydney Roosters (2011-14), Taylor will rack up his 100th match as an NRL coach this week — a feat which he quickly deflected back to the players preparing for Saturday’s match against Cowboys.

Tickets are ON SALE now for our Round 11 clash against the Cowboys on May 23! Be there and celebrate the 2005 Grand Final!

“I wasn’t actually aware of that fact at all,” laughed Taylor on Friday morning.

“It’s a nice milestone to get to, I guess, but for me, the full focus is on getting a win this week. We’ve been playing some good footy lately and should have finished off better last week, so the important thing [for me] this week is that we are strong for the 80 minutes.

After playing the last of his 276 first-grade games in 2001 for the Eels, Taylor began his coaching career with Parramatta in 2006 — taking over from Brian Smith and eventually leading the Eels to the finals that year. He moved to Souths the following season, before spending four successful seasons with the Roosters, where he assisted the Tricolours to a minor premiership, World Club Championship and Grand Final win.

He won his first two first-grade matches after joining Wests Tigers in 2015, and will be looking to rack up win No. 46 of his coaching career on Saturday against the Cowboys when the two sides meet in the 10th Anniversary match of the 2005 Grand Final — a night that he says will be a special one of celebration for the joint-venture club.

“It’s great to be back home, and to be back at Campbelltown,” Taylor enthused.

“We had a good win here early in the season against the Dragons, so it would be great to see the fans get out here and support us because this is an important match for us.

“I think it’s really important to remember something so special. It’s an important part of the Club’s history, and the guys are excited that some of the players from the 2005 Grand Final team will be here — as well as those guys who are still playing for us.

“So that’s going to be a really good night for us as far as that’s concerned, but we’ve also got to make our own history and do well in this game tomorrow night.”

Coaching Profile: Jason Taylor

D.O.B — 02/02/1971

Appointed — 2015

Previous Appointments — Sydney Roosters NRL Assistant (2013-14), Sydney Roosters NYC Coach (2011-12), South Sydney NRL Coach (2007-09), Parramatta Eels NRL Coach (2006)

Playing Career — 276 First Grade Games: 86 for Western Suburbs (1990-93), 147 for North Sydney (1994-99), 17 for Northern Eagles (2000), 26 for Parramatta (2001)

Premiership Coaching Record — Games 99, Wins 45, Losses 53, Draws 1

Finals Series — 2006 (Parramatta Eels), 2007 (Sydney Roosters)

Other Coaching Achievements — NRL Premiers, 2013 (Sydney Roosters, Assistant Coach)

 

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