Under the knife and gaining a wife - It’s been a big off-season already for Ash Taylor.
The Titans five-eighth has been in for surgery to fix a couple of lingering injuries and while juggling his rehab, he proposed to his partner Montana.
This is how it happened.
“I had both of my hips shaved back,” Taylor said.
“They’ve been giving me trouble for a few years now and it was just time to get it done and hopefully that frees me up on the field.
“I had my hips done the week before (proposing) so there wasn’t any getting on one knee.
“I’m not a very romantic bloke, I just asked the question and she said yes.”
Taylor says he was more nervous about the proposal then what he gets before a big game.
“I was very nervous.
“She’s been giving me hints all year to do it and I’ve done it now and glad it’s over,” Taylor laughed.
On field, Taylor found some of his best form since joining the Titans in 2020 and his focus is now on getting his body right to take on the pre-season.
“I’ll be back running on field a few weeks after the boys start, but at the moment I’ll be up in the chamber doing bike until I’m fully fit.
“(The chamber) is a sweat box, you can change the altitude of what you’re training at.
“There’s a bike, rower, skier, climber, it’s cardio up in that room and it’s not a pleasant room to be in you’d rather be on the field.
“I’m doing exercises at home to strengthen my inner core, my hip joints and my glutes and abductors as well.
“You’ve got to strengthen up everything around it so when it comes time to push with my hips hopefully it will be a little bit easier.”
As well as having work done on his hips, Taylor also had running repairs on his wrist.
“I had a bit of bone removed and fixed up the cartilage.”
Fully fit and full of confidence, Taylor is ready for 2021 and says now is the time to become a Titans Member.
“Jump on board because it is going to be a very exciting year.”
