When you turn 100 in Australia, it’s tradition that you get a letter from the Queen.
On the day before Fremantle member John Taylor’s 100th birthday he got something even better – a call from Alex Pearce and Joel Hamling.
John was a special standout of a long list of phone calls the defensive pair rang on Thursday to thank those who have pledged their membership as a part of the FOREVER Project.
The calls are an initiative that began in a Fremantle leadership group meeting, with Fremantle players getting behind the phones to thank a portion of members for their passionate and generous support.
The 26-year member was very tongue in cheek when he took another message for his 100th birthday.
“I’m not quite 100, it’s 99 and 364 days, how’s that?” John said.
“I’ve got a letter from the Queen and I even got one from Scott Morrison and Mark McGowan. They all want to get on the gravy train!”
Joel thought he could use John as an ‘in’ to help get Freo back to playing footy in WA.
“Can you ask McGowan to open up the borders for us?” Joel asked.
“Yeah I’ll have to tell him that. Don’t worry I will, I’ll ring him now,” was John’s response.
Alex and John spoke about their shared connection with Ulverstone - the town where Alex grew up also happened to be the town where John’s daughter lives.
John also gave Alex and Joel a ribbing about their ankle injuries. When Joel asked if they could borrow his ankle, he countered with an offer to front up for the next pre-season training.
When asked who his favourite Fremantle players were, John was non-committal.
“I was born in Fremantle so I had to be a Dockers fan. They’re all my favourites, how about that?” he said with a laugh.
“All the best when you play Brisbane and you better take care of Lachie Neale too!”
The FOREVER Project involves a number of incentives for Fremantle members to remain on board with the club in 2020, and for non-members to become Forever Heroes!
