The stats
AFL games: 15
Disposals per game: 14.4
Marks: 5
Kicks: 8.7
Tackles: 2.7
Total goals: 6
Review
Taylor Duryea was another Hawk who enjoyed a change of scenery in 2017.
The 26-year old’s magnet on the team board was shifted forward mid-season, as Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson searched for a man that could play a defensive forward role.
Duryea accepted the role and performed it for the bulk of the second half of the year.
Duryea also registered his 100th game against Carlton in Round 22.
After playing in the Round 1 loss to Essendon, Duryea missed out on senior action for the following two months, as he was forced to ply his trade with Box Hill.
But after earning a recall in Round 9 against Collingwood, the eighth-year Hawk played every game for the remainder of the year.
A word from: Brett Ratten
“Doc played partly back and then played more forward in the second half of the year.
“His ability to play on his man, read the flight of the ball and be courageous is a real strength of his. But, when he went forward for us, he actually did some roles in terms of playing on some of the opposition’s best players as that defensive forward.
“He did that role to a really good effect and it’s something that has probably been beneficial to him to have had the opportunity to play multiple roles and not be pigeon-holed as a backman.
