Cronulla thigh tattoos: I am mates with footy player Joshua Taylor-Myles. Here’s what people must know about him

EXCLUSIVE

Footy player Joshua Taylor-Myles has been fiercely defended by a friend after his shocking thigh tattoos left rugby league fans stunned and driven a wedge into his club.

Taylor-Myles has been ordered to have the ‘eat s**t fa***t’ and ‘snortlines and f**k’ tattoos on his thighs covered up if he wants to avoid being banned from playing for the Aquinas Colts team in south-west Sydney.

His identity was exclusively revealed by Daily Mail Australia after photos of the hooker playing in the NSWRL’s Luke Lewis Cup on June 8 went viral, prompting the team to remove the photos from social media – but his friend responded by saying ‘it is his body, him’. can do whatever he wants’.

The 23-year-old footballer’s inking has left fans and members of his club baffled

A pal of Taylor-Myles went online to describe him as ‘the nicest guy’ (pictured) and slammed the media for shining a light on the scandal

At least two images of Taylor-Myles’ legs were removed from the club’s social media pages as commentators branded the tattoos ‘disgusting’ and social media users called on the athlete to laser them off.

Longtime club members questioned how the scandal was handled.

“He should get the boot from the club if he refuses to cover up those tattoos,” a former club member told Daily Mail Australia.

“I understand, we all make mistakes, but there is hardly any reasonable excuse as to why you would ever have such offensive words thrown into your body.

‘He wouldn’t play if I was still at the club.’

Taylor-Myles (pictured right with a teammate) has been told he can’t play football unless he covers up the shocking words

Now a commenter on Facebook, who identified himself as a friend of the 23-year-old latter, jumped to his defense after reading Daily Mail Australia’s latest story on the scandal.

“I know this man personally and he is just the nicest guy who will do anything to help those around him,” Taylor-Myles’ partner wrote.

“The hate isn’t necessary, it’s his body, he can do whatever he wants and until the media pays a lot of attention to it, no one would know he had it.”

Aquinas Colts president Brett O’Farrell emphasized that the club was following industry guidelines and said the messages on the player’s legs do not reflect the team’s views.

“We are following NSW Rugby League guidelines and that is all we would like to comment on,” he told Daily Mail Australia.

The father of one (pictured right) has refused to comment on the backlash after his tattoos were visible

The controversial Aquinas Colts team hooker is pictured with his pregnant partner

“He’s going to cover them up, I just told you.”

Taylor-Myles was named the club’s best on ground in a photo that has now been deleted from Facebook.

The father of one did not respond to questions about the tattoos.

In an unearthed photo shared on social media in 2020, a former teammate once described him as “all looks, no clue.”

On Monday morning, a spokesperson for NSWRL told Daily Mail Australia: ‘Cronulla JRL [Junior Rugby League] has issued the player an official warning and asked him to cover the offending tattoos if he wishes to continue playing in a sanctioned NSWRL competition.

‘The NSWRL and Cronulla JRL are committed to providing a safe, fun and inclusive environment for all people, including people of different sexualities and genders. Being an inclusive sport reflects not only our core values, but also the diversity of our local communities.

“We have zero tolerance for any form of bullying, harassment or defamation against people of different sexualities and genders.”