AFLNT is excited to announce that from this season, the Premiership winning coach of the TIO NTFL Men’s Premier League will be awarded the John Taylor Coach’s Medal.
The introduction of the medal has been made by the League as a small gesture to recognise the commitment and dedication shown by NTFL coaches throughout the season.
Traditionally, the coach of the winning Men’s Premier League team has been awarded a Premiership medal.
AFLNT CEO Michael Solomon said the decision to name the medal in honour of John ‘KJ’ Taylor was an easy one to make.
“We didn’t have to go too far to find an appropriate NTFL figure to name the medal in honour-of.
"John has an astounding record that speaks for itself – he coached St Mary’s for 252 games and won 229 of them, including 11 premierships. He was recently named as Coach of the AFLNT NT Government Team of the Century, an honour richly deserved,” Solomon said.
Taylor also has a rich history with coaching Territory representative sides.
He was coach of the NT representative side 18 times, winning the Division Two Bicentennial Carnival in 1988.
Taylor said he was honoured to have his name associated with a medal NTFL coaches would now be striving for.
“All the recognition you get is always appreciated and when you get your name on awards it really means something.
“Sometimes the coaches can be the forgotten people and it's great there will be a permanent recognition for the NTFL Premiership coach from next season. And to have my name struck next to it is a real honour and a privilege,” Taylor said.
JOHN ‘KJ’ TAYLOR
Era: 1983 - 2004
Club: St Mary’s/St Peter’s
Premierships: 11
NT Representative side coach: 18 times
Coach of the Back to Cyclone Tracy Team of Two Decades
NT Government Award for Excellence 1994 and 1996
Life Membership of NTFL awarded 1997
Australian Sports Medal recipient 2000
AFLNT Hall of Fame inductee 2010
AFLNT Team of the Century coach 2016