NELSON Bay AFL sensation Taylor Smith is a young midfielder in a big hurry.

A promising career with the new Sydney Swans AFLW franchise beckons for the gifted Tomaree High school girl who has carved her niche in the Hunter Central Coast AFL junior and senior ranks.

The outstanding sixteen-year-old Nelson Bay Marlins prospect is on the Swans radar after skilful performances for the club’s Academy and Top End Women’s squads these past two seasons.

At the recent Hunter Central Coast AFL Awards Night, the midfield dynamo was named the Rising Star and Best and Fairest Player in the 2023 Black Diamond Plate Womens premiership after helping the Port Stephens Power side qualify for the finals.

Taylor also finished runner up for the Under 17s Player of the Year Award after skippering the Marlins to a Grand Final appearance against champions Killarney Vale.

With the mercurial Smith leading the way, the Marlins showed plenty of resilience in a 28-13 loss to the Bombers in a qualifying final before steering her side to an emphatic 43-15 preliminary final triumph over the Cardiff Eagles.

The Bombers had earlier edged out the Marlins and Eagles for the minor premiership on percentages after all three clubs finished the preliminary rounds on 40 points.

In the trophy decider at Hylton Moore Oval, the well drilled Killarney Vale unit toppled the Marlins 27-6 by four goals with the tireless Smith a stand out in a losing side.

Port Stephens Power stalwart Renee Selby told News Of The Area that the athletic Taylor “has a bright future in the game”.

“She provides so much energy on the field with her speed, agility and vision and thoroughly deserved her major awards in the Senior Women’s competition,” quipped Renee.

“Taylor stepped up and held her own against more seasoned players and shows a maturity far beyond her years,” she added.

A former Nelson Bay junior representative netball centre and touch footballer, Taylor showed natural ability when introduced to the AFL code at the age of twelve.

She played a key role in the Marlins’ premiership-winning Under 12 and Under 13 teams and has appeared in four of the past five Hunter Central Coast Junior Grand Finals.

Last year she was judged the competition’s Under 17 Player of the Year following her selection in the NSW AFL Under 15 representative team in 2021.

Taylor was identified by the Swans as a thirteen-year-old and has impressed officials with her classy performances for the Hunter representative side that rolled Central Coast, Illawarra and South Coast in the annual series.

The team has remained undefeated since 2019 with Taylor captaining the girls this year and stamping her mark in the Swans’ Under 18 Top End Womens squad.

She skippered Tomaree High at the NSW Schoolgirls AFL and Netball State Championships this year where she inspired team mates with her all action style.

Lining up for the Swans in Super 24 fixtures in Albury and travelling to Sydney to train alongside an extended AFLW combination has given the schoolgirl a new lease of life.

Taylor, who was recently named in the Swans Under 18s train on squad for a second successive season, aims to represent the NSW/ACT Allies in 2024 and continue her rise through the Swans Pathways program.

There is no shortage of talent in the Smith family with elder brother Xavier, eighteen, a talented Marlins AFL junior and promising golfer at Nelson Bay Golf Club.

By Chris KARAS