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- Brent Read
- From: The Australian
- March 19, 2011 12:00AM
DAVE Taylor had a good Christmas -- too good, in fact. When Taylor returned to pre-season training with South Sydney at the close of the festive season, he was a whopping 127 kilograms. Taylor is a big man, but even by his gargantuan standards, that was too big.
"I had a good Christmas, like we all do," Taylor said. "I like food too much. It is a bit of a battle big blokes go through and it's something I take note of. I'm almost there. One of two more games and I should be back to my peak."
In an attempt to beat the battle of the bulge, Souths officials have encouraged Taylor to change his eating habits. He is chowing down on the same amount of food, but spreading it over the course of the day. So far he has dropped seven kilograms and is hovering around the 120kg mark.
"I'm just eating right and not overdoing it at meal times, and spacing out my meals," he said.
"I used to pig out then not eat for a while, then pig out again. It wasn't doing me any good. I am probably eating the same amount of food, just over a longer period of time.
"I found it's working wonders for me. I have dropped about seven kilos or so. It's helping me on the field. I feel a lot better, a lot fitter than last year.
"Hopefully the next few games I will be able to go a bit better."
Coach John Lang said: "He's pretty fit, Dave, but if he dropped a bit more he would be even better. Dave doesn't need to carry any body fat. Some guys have to carry a little bit because when you drop body fat you lose a bit of muscle as well. Probably for Dave putting on seven kilos, it's not like an average person putting on seven kilos."
Taylor's first year at Souths was one of the best of his short first-grade career. He finished playing three games for Queensland and in the off-season, and exercised an option in his contract which will keep him at the club until at least the end of 2012.
Already a handful lurking on the edges, he could become a more potent force this year with Greg Inglis also occupying a spot on the left side of the field. The two made a promising start together in the opening round and, fitness permitting, will provide plenty of headaches for Canterbury at ANZ Stadium tomorrow.
"I'm not going to say we're going to come out and destroy people off the bat," Taylor said. "I can't see us coming out flying the first week or two."
Once both reach peak fitness -- Inglis has been troubled by off-season surgery and an adductor muscle strain he picked up at training this week -- Taylor can see opposition sides having some concerns.
"He's a wonderful player," Taylor said of Inglis. "He can cause a bit of havoc himself. It definitely makes my job a lot easier. I can grab the ball and hand it to him. Having him there, it doesn't matter who you hit, me or him, it's going to be good for the left side.
"I am itching to play with him. I think it will be about round four or five that GI is back to his fullest with his fitness.
"I reckon when he gets to his full fitness he will be unstoppable."
The same could be said for Taylor.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/new...food-for-thought/story-e6frg7mf-1226024317191
