It was Mark Taylor’s turn to speak to the Dragons. That’s what he informed them.
When requested to speak to the senior players of St George Illawarra about leadership, former Australia cricket captain Mark Taylor reminisced about his early days as captain. Taking over from Allan Border in 1994, Taylor prepared extensively for his captaincy debut in a Test against Pakistan in Karachi. Despite meticulous planning and discussions with the team, he overlooked focusing on his own performance. This resulted in a pair of ducks, making history as the first captain to achieve such a feat on debut. Taylor emphasized the importance of finding a balance between improving the team and personal performance, a lesson he shared with the Dragons’ leadership group, including captain Ben Hunt.
Taylor highlighted his experience of learning from mistakes and the need for open communication within the team. Drawing parallels to his time as Australian captain, he emphasized the significance of having adult conversations with players, managing big personalities, and fostering a team mentality. Taylor acknowledged the challenges of leadership but stressed the importance of honesty and open communication.
Addressing the Dragons’ current situation, Taylor expressed optimism after attending a Dragons Way Breakfast and observing a training session. He believed that the team had talent and potential but needed to build self-belief to turn close games into victories. Taylor refrained from commenting on whether Ben Hunt is the right leader for the team, leaving that decision to coach Shane Flanagan. However, he acknowledged Hunt’s on-field prowess and suggested that with continued leadership development and guidance from Flanagan, Hunt could evolve into a more well-rounded leader.
