Taaffe has the rare distinction of playing in Grand Finals across all three senior grades with South Sydney. He played in the 2021 premiership grand final for South Sydney, filling in for the suspended Latrell Mitchell. He is a one time South Sydney U20(Jersey Flegg) premiership winner in 2019, winning the U20s Grand Final Man of the match. He is also a one time South Sydney Reserve Grade premiership winner in 2023, winning the Reserve Grade Grand Final Man of the Match. He also won the NRL Reserve Grade State Championship with South Sydney in 2023.
Taaffe is a South Sydney junior who played with La Parouse as a youngster. He then moved with his family and played in the Central Coast system with the The Entrance. In 2018 he made his senior grade debut in the Under 20's Round 14 clash against the Sydney Roosters for the South Sydney feeder club North Sydney Bears at North Sydney Oval. In Round 21 2018 he made his Reserve Grade debut against the Warriors at North Sydney Oval, again with the South Sydney feeder club the North Sydney Bears. In 2019 he got a taste of first grade, playing his first game in South Sydney colours in the John Sutton Testiminal trial against Penrith at Redfern Oval. He made his first grade premiership debut in the 2021 Round 15 clash against Brisbane at Lang Park Stadium.
Taaffe is a live wire lower grade halfback, who plays five-eighth and fullback, with a good short kicking game. He played most of his first grade career at fullback with South Sydney.
In 2019 Taaffe captained the U20's for the first half of the season before being called up into Reserve Grade. The same year he was called up into the New South Wales U20s state of origin team, asa halfback.
Taaffe played 6 seasons with South Sydney from 2018 to 2023. He played 34 first grade club games, which included 33 first grade premiership games and 2 first grade cup games. Overall he played 81 senior grade club games with South Sydney scoring 434 points across all grades, which includes 78 senior grade premierships games with South Sydney. He also played 7 senior grade club games with the South Sydney feeder club the North Sydney Bears. In 2020 he also played in the Auckland 9s playing 3 short-form games with South Sydney.
Taaffe played his final first grade premiership game with South Sydney in the 2023 Round 27 clash with the Sydney Roosters at Stadium Australia. He played his final senior grade club game with South Sydney in the 2023 Reserve Grade winning NRL State Championship clash against the Brisbane Tigers at Stadium Australia.
In his break out year of 2021 he won the South Sydney rookie of the year award.
Playing Relatives
Father - Taaffe, Darren
Uncle - Taaffe, Bradley
Cousin - Taaffe, Kasey
Playing - Height / Weight
179cm / 85kg
Representative Qualification
Indigenous
NSW City
Date of Birth
Sydney - 21st April 1999
South Sydney Junior Club
La Perouse
Previous Clubs First Grade : Lower Grades : Juniors
M T G FG Pt : M T G FG Pt : M T G FG Pt
The Entrance (2012-17)
Central Coast (2015) : : U16 9 2 1 - 10
Central Coast (2016-17) : : U18 14 - 25 - 50
Berkley Vale (2018)
Previous Rep Honours M T G FG Pt
NSW Koori U16 (2015) 1 - - - -
Playing Career at South Sydney (2018-23)
South Sydney First Grade Debut
2021 Rd15 LngS v Brisbane (22y 57d)
First Grade
Premiership : Pre-Season Challenge
M S I T G/A FG 2FG Pts : M S I T G/A FG 2FG Pts
2021 8 6 (2) 1 6/12 - - 16
2022 10 6 (4) 2 30/35 - - 68
2023 10 8 (2) 3 25/35 - - 62 : 2 1 (1) 1 4/5 - - 12
TOTAL 28 20 (8) 6 61/82 - - 146 : 2 1 (1) 1 4/5 - - 12
SS Cup 2 1 (1) 1 4/5 - - 12
SS FG 30 21 (9) 7 65/87 - - 158
Lower Grades : Juniors
(RG) Premiership : (RG) State Championship : U20 : U18 : U16
Year M S I T G/A FG 2FG Pts : M S I T G/A FG 2FG Pts : M S I T G/A FG 2FG Pts : M S I T G/A FG Pts : M S I T G/A FG Pts
2018 1 - (1) - - - - - : : 6 6 - 1 7/10 - - 18 :
2019 8 8 - 1 - 2 - 6 : : 17 17 - 8 62/80 - - 156 :
2020 1 1 - 1 2/2 - - 8 : : - - - - - - - - :
2021 4 4 - - - - - - :
2022 7 7 - - 18/23 - - 36 :
2023 13 13 - 6 23/35 - - 70 : 1 1 - - - - - -
TOTAL 33 33 - 8 43/60 2 - 120 : 1 1 - - - - - - : 17 17 - 8 62/80 - - 156 :
TOTAL 34 33 (1) 8 43/60 2 - 120 : 1 1 - - - - - - : 23 23 - 9 69/90 - - 174 : (incl Bears)
South Sydney Senior(FG/RG/3G) Grade Career
Premiership : Cup : All Matches
M S I T G/A FG 2FG Pts : M S I T G/A FG 2FG Pts : M S I T G/A FG 2FG Pts
CAREER 78 70 (8) 22 166/222 2 - 422 : 3 2 (1) 1 4/5 - - 12 : 81 72 (9) 23 170/227 2 - 434
CAREER 85 76 (9) 23 173/232 2 - 440 : 3 2 (1) 1 4/5 - - 12 : 88 78 (10) 24 177/237 2 - 452 (incl Bears)
Short Form
9s
M S I T G/A FG Pts
2020 3 3 - 1 1/4 - 6
TOTAL 3 3 - 1 1/4 - 6
SS SF 3 3 - 1 1/4 - 6
Scoring at South Sydney
Versus - First Grade : Lower Grades
(FG) Premiership : (RG) Premiership
T G/A FG 2FG Pts : T G/A FG 2FG Pts
Brisbane - 6/6 - - 12
Canberra - 5/7 - - 10
Canterbury 2 9/10 - - 26
Gold Coast - 7/9 - - 14
Manly 1 10/15 - - 24
Nth Qld 1 1/1 - - 6
St Geo-Ill - 9/9 - - 18
Wests-Tig - 6/7 - - 12
Warriors 2 8/12 - - 24
Venues - First Grade : Lower Grades
(FG) Premiership : (RG) Premiership
T G/A FG 2FG Pts : T G/A FG 2FG Pts
StAu 2 22/25 - - 52
Dubb - 2/2 - - 4
Gosf 1 6/8 - - 16
NISC 1 - - - 4
Koga - 3/6 - - 6
LngS 1 8/13 - - 20
MtSm 1 4/6 - - 12
Robi - 7/9 - - 14
SunS - 6/9 - - 12
WSS - 3/4 - - 6
Match Statistics at South Sydney
2018 First Grade Statistics : Lower Grade Statistics
Min Tac Pe MT LB Rn DR m Er OL K TA T G FG : Min Tac Pe MT LB Rn DR m Er OL K TA T G FG
Rd14 : U20 5/8 #5 Syd Rstrs L 70 1 - -
Rd15 : U20 5/8 #6 Cronulla L 70 - 2/2 -
Rd16 : U20 5/8 #6 St Geo-Ill L 70 - 2/3 -
Rd17 : U20 5/8 #6 Mt Prtchrd L 70 - 1/2 -
Rd19 : U20 5/8 #6 Cronulla L 70 - 1/2 -
Rd20 : U20 5/8 #6 Canterbury L 70 - 1/1 -
Rd21 : NSWC Int #20 Warriors L 12 - - - - 4 1 15 - - - - - - -
2018 TOTALS : 1 7/10 -
2019 First Grade Statistics : Lower Grade Statistics
Min Tac Pe MT LB Rn DR m Er OL K TA T G FG : Min Tac Pe MT LB Rn DR m Er OL K TA T G FG
Trial Int # Penrith W 25 8 - 1 - 3 - 28 1 - - - - - - :
Rd02 : U20 Half #7 St Geo-Ill D 70 12 - 3 1 - - 176 - 1 8 - - 3/4 - (c)
Rd03 : U20 Half #7 Norths D 70 13 2 3 - - - 34 - - - - - 5/5 - (c)
Rd04 : U20 Half #7 Manly W 70 12 - 2 - - - 50 1 - 4 1 1 7/9 - (c)
Rd05 : U20 Half #7 Warriors W 70 12 - 7 1 5 1 47 - - 4 2 - 3/7 - (c)
Rd06 : U20 Half #7 Canterbury W 70 14 - 1 1 - - 53 1 - 10 - 1 3/5 - (c)
Rd07 : U20 Half #7 Penrith L 70 13 1 2 - - - 52 - - 7 - - - - (c)
Rd08 : U20 Half #7 Norths W 70 15 - 2 - - - 45 - - 1 - - 3/5 - (c)
Rd09 : U20 Half #7 Wests-Tig W 64 2 - 5 - - - 86 - - 5 1 1 7/8 - (c)
Rd11 : RG 5/8 #6 Wntwrthvll W 80 9 1 4 - 11 1 77 - - 6 - - - -
Rd12 : RG Half #7 Newcastle W 80 13 - 3 - 14 - 62 4 - 7 1 - - -
Rd13 : RG Half #7 Penrith W 80 14 - 5 - 5 - 27 - - 3 - - - -
Rd15 : U20 5/8 #6 Wests-Tig L 70 19 - 4 - - - 67 1 - 2 - - 4/4 -
Rd17 : RG Half #7 Blacktown L 80 23 - 2 - 8 - 54 - - 9 1 1 - -
Rd18 : U20 5/8 #6 Parramatta W 70 6 - 3 - - - 134 - - 1 - 1 6/6 -
Rd19 : RG Half #7 St Geo-Ill W 80 10 - 4 1 4 - 130 1 - 4 1 - - 1
Rd20 : RG Half #7 Norths W 80 8 - 2 1 5 - 70 1 - 5 2 - - 1
Rd21 : RG Half #7 Warriors W 80 8 - 4 - 10 - 78 - - 8 - - - -
Rd22 : U20 5/8 #6 Canterbury L 70 19 - 4 1 - - 172 2 1 6 1 - - -
Rd23 : U20 Half #6 Newcastle L 70 12 1 5 1 - - 146 2 1 3 1 1 4/6 -
Rd24 : U20 Half #6 Syd Rstrs W 70 17 - 5 - - - 81 3 - 4 - - 3/4 -
MPSF : RG Half #18 Norths W 80 18 - 2 - 20 - 107 - - 7 - - - -
mSF : U20 5/8 #6 Cronulla W 80 10 - 1 1 - - 132 2 - 4 - 1 6/7 -
mF : U20 Half #7 Penrith W 70 14 - 3 - - - 63 - - 2 1 - 4/5 -
GF : U20 Half #7 Canberra W 70 18 - 4 1 8 1 71 1 - - - 2 2/3 -
2019 TOTALS : 1834 327 6 83 11 2126 19 3 115 13 9 62/80 2
2020 First Grade Statistics : Lower Grade Statistics
Min Tac Pe 6A MT LB Rn DR m Er OL K TA T G FG : Min Tac Pe MT LB Rn DR m Er OL K TA T G FG
Trial Half #7 Parramatta W 80 12 - - 5 - 6 1 37 2 - 3 - - 4/5 - :
ChSh Int #22 St Geo-Ill W 40 8 - - 1 - 5 - 51 - - 3 1 - 3/4 - :
Rd01 : RG Half #7 Newtown L 80 21 - 3 1 9 - 48 1 - 3 - 1 2/2 -
2020 TOTALS : 80 21 - 3 1 9 - 48 1 - 3 - 1 2/2 -
2021 First Grade Statistics : Lower Grade Statistics
Min Tac Pe 6A MT LB Rn DR m Er OL K TA T G FG 2FG : Min Tac Pe 6A MT LB Rn DR m Er OL K TA T G FG 2FG
Trial Flbk #1 Group 20 Grif W - 3/3 - - :
ChSh Int #14 St Geo-Ill Mudg W 28 3 - - - - 8 1 62 - - 2 - - 1/1 - - :
Rd11 : RG Flbk #1 Penrith Dubb L 80 1 - - 2 1 15 1 119 1 - 1 1 - - - -
Rd12 : RG Flbk #1 Parramatta StAu L 80 5 - - 1 1 17 3 169 3 - 1 1 - - - -
Rd13 : RG Flbk #1 St Geo-Ill Redf L 80 3 - - 3 - 16 1 146 3 - 1 - - - - -
Rd14 18th Newcastle : RG Flbk #1 Newcastle StAu L 40 2 1 - - - 6 - 35 - - - - - - - -
Rd15 Int #18 Brisbane LngS W 20 1 - - - - 5 - 62 - - - 1 - - - - :
Rd17 Flbk #1 Nth Qld NISC W 80 - - - - - 17 - 180 2 - - - 1 - - - :
Rd18 Flbk #20 Canterbury Robi W 80 - - - 1 - 14 - 168 - - - - - - - - :
Rd19 18th Warriors :
Rd20 Int #14 St Geo-Ill LngS W 10 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - :
Rd23 18th Penrith :
Rd24 18th Syd Rstrs :
Rd25 Flbk #1 St Geo-Ill SunS W 80 3 - - 2 - 15 - 104 1 - 1 1 - 2/5 - - :
MPSF Flbk #1 Penrith NQSt W 80 3 - - - - 18 - 113 1 - 1 1 - - - - :
mPF Flbk #1 Manly LngS W 80 1 - - 2 - 10 1 149 1 - - 2 - 4/7 - - :
GF Flbk #1 Penrith LngS L 80 6 - - - - 13 1 116 2 - - - - - - - :
2021 TOTALS 510 14 - - 5 - 92 2 892 7 - 2 5 1 6/12 - - : 280 11 1 - 6 2 54 5 469 7 - 3 2 - - - -
2021 FG Average Minutes - 63.8
2021 FG Average Tackles (80 min) - 2.2
2021 FG Average Runs (80 min) - 14.4
2021 FG Average Meters per run - 9.7m
2021 FG Tackling Ability - 73.7%
2021 FG Goalkicking - 50.0%
2022 First Grade Statistics : Lower Grade Statistics
Min Tac Pe 6A MT LB Rn DR m Er OL K TA T G FG 2FG : Min Tac Pe 6A MT LB Rn DR m Er OL K TA T G FG 2FG
ChSh Flbk #1 St Geo-Ill Mudg L 69 3 - - 2 - 7 - 69 1 - - - - 1/2 - - :
Rd04 18th Penrith :
Rd05 Int #14 St Geo-Ill StAu W 67 3 - - 1 - 13 - 100 2 1 - - - 4/4 - - :
Rd06 Flbk #1 Canterbury StAu W 80 4 - - 1 - 10 - 92 - - - 1 - 6/6 - - :
Rd07 Flbk #1 Wests-Tig WSS L 80 3 - - 2 - 12 - 91 3 - - - - 3/4 - - :
Rd08 Flbk #1 Manly Gosf W 80 - - - 2 1 14 - 86 - - - - 1 6/8 - - :
Rd09 Flbk #1 Brisbane StAu L 80 2 1 - 2 1 10 - 89 2 1 - 1 - 2/2 - - :
Rd10 Flbk #1 Warriors LngS W 80 8 - 1 4 2 16 1 114 2 - - 1 1 4/6 - - :
Rd11 Flbk #1 Canberra Dubb L 80 10 1 - 4 - 8 - 30 1 - - - - 2/2 - - :
Rd12 Int #1 Wests-Tig StAu W 19 1 - - 1 - 1 - 25 1 - - - - 3/3 - - :
Rd14 18th Gold Coast :
Rd15 Int #14 St Geo-Ill Woll L 52 3 - - 2 - 12 - 94 1 - 2 - - - - - :
Rd16 : RG 5/8 #6 Parramatta StAu L 80 20 1 - 2 - 6 - 50 - - 1 1 - 3/3 - -
Rd17 18th Newcastle : RG 5/8 #6 Newcastle NISC L 80 21 - - 2 - 12 - 74 2 - 1 1 - 1/3 - -
Rd18 18th Canterbury : RG 5/8 #6 Canterbury StAu L 80 17 - - 5 - 4 - 27 - 1 - - - 1/2 - -
Rd19 : RG Flbk #1 Mt Prtchrd StAu W 80 5 - - - - 10 2 88 1 - - - - 5/6 - -
Rd20 : RG Flbk #1 Newtown Hens L 80 5 - - 2 - 15 - 135 2 - - - - 3/3 - -
Rd21 Int #14 Warriors SunS W 19 1 - - 1 - 3 - 19 - - 1 - - - - - :
Rd22 18th Parramatta : RG Half #7 Parramatta WSS L 80 26 1 1 3 - 8 - 37 - - 5 1 - 1/2 - -
Rd23 18th Penrith : RG Flbk #1 Penrith StAu D 80 12 - - 4 1 10 - 82 1 - - - - 4/4 - -
2022 TOTALS 637 35 2 1 20 4 99 1 740 12 2 3 3 2 30/35 - - : 560 106 2 1 18 1 65 2 493 6 1 7 3 - 18/23 - -
2022 FG Average Minutes - 63.7
2022 FG Average Tackles (80 min) - 4.4
2022 FG Average Runs (80 min) - 12.4
2022 FG Average Meters per run - 7.5m
2022 FG Tackling Ability - 63.6%
2022 FG Goalkicking - 85.7%
2023 First Grade Statistics : Lower Grade Statistics
Min Tac Pe 6A MT LA LB Rn DR m Er OL K TA T G FG 2FG : Min Tac Pe 6A MT LA LB Rn DR m Er OL K TA T G FG 2FG
Pre01 Flbk #1 Manly Gosf L 59 2 - - 3 1 1 8 2 69 1 1 4 - 1 4/4 - - :
Pre02 Int #14 St Geo-Ill Mudg W 23 3 - - 3 - - 2 - 18 - - 2 1 - - - - :
Rd01 Int #14 Cronulla Ende W 8 6 - - - - - 1 - 9 - - - - - - - - :
Rd02 Int #14 Penrith Penr L 7 4 - - 1 - - 2 - 11 1 - - - - - - - :
Rd03 18th Syd Rstrs : RG Flbk #1 Syd Rstrs Went L 80 6 1 - 5 1 - 15 1 99 1 - - 1 - 2/3 - -
Rd04 18th Manly : RG 5/8 #21 Blacktown StAu W 80 21 - - 3 3 1 14 - 141 1 - 1 2 1 5/6 - -
Rd05 18th Melbourne :
Rd06 : RG Flbk #1 Canterbury StAu L 80 5 - - 3 - - 14 2 87 1 - 3 1 - 3/4 - -
Rd07 18th Dolphins : RG 5/8 #6 Norths NSO L 80 19 2 - 4 1 - 17 - 103 1 - 5 1 - 1/3 - -
Rd08 : RG Flbk #1 Penrith StAu W 80 4 - - 1 2 - 20 - 104 1 - - 1 - 3/4 - -
Rd09 18th Brisbane : RG Flbk #1 Canberra Wagg L 80 2 - - 2 - 2 13 1 163 - - 1 1 1 2/3 - -
Rd10 18th Melbourne : RG Flbk #1 Syd Rstrs NSO W 80 7 - - 1 1 3 17 - 176 - 1 1 1 2 4/5 - -
Rd11 Int #18 Wests-Tig StAu W - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - : RG Flbk #1 Wests StAu W 80 2 - - 2 1 - 13 - 85 1 1 - 2 - 3/6 - -
Rd12 Int #14 Parramatta SFS2 L - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - :
Rd13 Flbk #1 Canberra StAu L 80 2 - - 2 - - 13 1 77 - - - - - 3/5 - - :
Rd14 Flbk #1 Gold Coast Robi W 80 3 - - 2 1 - 13 1 117 - - 1 2 - 7/9 - - :
Rd15 Flbk #1 St Geo-Ill Koga L 80 4 - - - - 1 19 1 145 1 1 - - - 3/6 - - :
Rd17 Flbk #1 Nth Qld StAu L 80 3 - - 4 1 - 14 - 177 2 - - - - 1/1 - - :
Rd18 Flbk #1 Warriors MtSm W 80 3 - - - - - 4 - 14 - - - - 1 4/6 - - :
Rd19 Flbk #1 Canterbury StAu L 80 8 - - - 1 3 10 - 140 2 - - - 2 3/4 - - :
Rd21 Flbk #14 Brisbane SunS L 80 3 - - 5 1 - 11 - 92 - - - 1 - 4/4 - - :
Rd22 18th Wests-Tig : RG Flbk #1 Wests Lidc W 80 3 - - 1 4 - 9 - 88 2 1 - 2 - - - -
Rd23 : RG Flbk #1 Newtown Redf L 80 3 - 1 - 1 - 12 - 122 - - 2 2 1 - - -
Rd24 : RG Flbk #1 St Geo-Ill Redf W 80 2 - - 2 2 4 18 - 198 1 1 2 4 1 - - -
Rd25 : RG Flbk #1 Newcastle NISC L 80 5 - - 2 3 - 14 - 80 2 - 2 2 - - - -
Rd27 Flbk #1 Syd Rstrs StAu L 17 1 - - 1 - - 3 - 34 - - - - - - - - :
MSF : RG Concussion
GF : RG Flbk #1 Norths WSS W 80 5 - - 4 1 - 8 - 99 1 1 3 1 - - - -
StCh : RG Flbk #1 Bris-Tig StAu W 80 8 - - 1 2 - 11 - 76 1 - 3 1 - - - -
2023 TOTALS 592 37 - - 15 5 4 90 3 816 6 1 1 3 3 25/35 - - : 1120 93 3 1 31 22 10 198 4 1633 13 5 22 22 6 23/34 - -
2023 FG Average Minutes - 59.2
2023 FG Average Tackles (80 min) - 5.0
2023 FG Average Runs (80 min) - 12.2
2023 FG Average Meters per run - 9.1m
2023 FG Tackling Ability - 71.2%
Captaincy Record at South Sydney
Year Grade M( W- D-L %) 2019 U20 8( 5- 2-1 63%)
Suspension Record at South Sydney
Year Grade v Fine Wk CO Ldg G CHARGE 2023 Rd13 FG Canberra $1,000 - - 0% 1 Careless High Tackle
Sin Bin Record at South Sydney
Year Grade v CHARGE none
Player Awards
Year Award 2019 - U20 Grand Final Man Of The Match 2021 - South Sydney Rookie of the Year (John Sattler Award) 2023 - NSW Cup Grand Final Man of the Match
Representative Honours at South Sydney
Domestic Interstate : Other
M S I T G/A FG Pts : M S I T G/A FG Pts
NSW U20 2019 : 1 1 - - - - -
TOTAL 1 1 - - - - -
International
none
ALL REPS 1 1 - - - - -
Year Pos Team Versus Match T G/A FG
2019 Half New South Wales U20 v Queensland U20 U20 - - -
Player News
After Leaving South Sydney
Subsequent Clubs First Grade
M T G FG Pt
Canterbury (2024)
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