A rugby league career that never reached the sustained heights it really should have didn't mean anything anymore - his family was all that mattered.

But a chance meeting with Canberra Raiders coach Ricky Stuart changed all that, and now Taylor is set to suit up for the Green Machine against the Wests Tigers on Sunday.

Taylor was driving to Rockhampton when he got a call from his manager saying he had to turn around - the Raiders coach wanted a meeting, where he was offered a train-and-trial contract.

If Taylor didn't perform, there would be no space in the change rooms with his name above it. If he did, Canberra would have a player could be the difference between a preliminary final and a premiership.

In Stuart's 15 years of coaching at the NRL level, rarely has he seen someone work so hard, and Taylor's motivation is simple.

"Definitely family, yeah, doing it for my girls," Taylor told Fox Sports.

"When they get a little bit older and that, and I've got goals for myself, if I can reach them then I can show them if you're ever down never give up."

Canberra is now a home for reformed bad boys, and Taylor was suspended for the opening two rounds due to cocaine possession charges.

Coming to a new club and trying to earn the respect of many people younger than you was daunting, but since day one the 28-year-old has been welcomed with open arms.

"It was definitely the darkest time in my life, and coming here, straight away they just took me in and made me feel at home," Taylor said.

"It definitely makes you feel at home, it makes life feel a lot easier and it's definitely turned my life around."

Taylor has struggled to reach his potential at times and Canberra is his fifth professional club.

But if Stuart's praise and Taylor's obvious determination are anything to go by, Canberra may have scored the bargain buy of the century.

During pre-season Taylor was pulling beers at the Top Pub in Queanbeyan. An NRL contract doesn't mean he's going to stop that now.

"I'm liking it so much now and I'm enjoying it, that now I don't need to do it but I'm still doing it just because of the learning process of it all," Taylor said.

After a few beers people will come up and ask if he is indeed the man known as the 'Coal Train'. When he walks along the Kingston Foreshore a fan in a Raiders shirt comes up to talk football.

It doesn't bother him - Taylor is keeping his feet on the ground with an eye on a return to State of Origin and Test football.

Taylor probably won't get a lot of minutes if all goes to plan on Sunday - Stuart isn't expecting him to find his feet at NRL level for "probably half the season."

But the change he has seen in the 131 kilogram, 187cm giant is something to behold.

"The importance he's put on his football is amazing in regards to his commitment and sacrifice," Stuart said.

"In all my years of coaching, I haven't seen too many players train as hard as David has over the last three or four months.

"It's a credit to him, he deserves his position, he deserves his contract here at the club. The way he has handled himself off the field, at training, has warranted that spot he's got now."

If he didn't have that spot on Canberra's bench?

"I'd probably be out in the mines somewhere maybe. I'm not too sure where I'd be," Taylor said.

NRL

Sunday: Round three - Canberra Raiders v Wests Tigers at Canberra Stadium, 4pm. Tickets available from Ticketek.

Raiders squad: 1. Jack Wighton, 2. Nick Cotric, 3. Jarrod Croker (c), 4. Joey Leilua, 5. Jordan Rapana, 6. Blake Austin, 7. Aidan Sezer, 8. Junior Paulo, 9. Josh Hodgson, 10. Shannon Boyd, 11. Josh Papalii, 12. Elliott Whitehead, 13. Luke Bateman. Interchange: 14. Adam Clydsdale, 15. Sia Soliola, 16. Clay Priest, 17. Dave Taylor. Reserves: 18. Jordan Turner, 19. Dunamis Lui, 20. Jeff Lima, 21. Scott Sorensen.

Tigers squad: 1. James Tedesco, 2. David Nofoaluma, 3. Kevin Naiqama, 4. Michael Chee-Kam, 5. Moses Suli, 6. Mitchell Moses, 7. Luke Brooks, 8. Aaron Woods (c), 9. Matt McIlwrick, 10. Ava Seumanufagai, 11. Sausao Sue, 12. Chris Lawrence, 13. Elijah Taylor. Interchange: 14. Tim Grant, 15. Josh Aloiai, 16. Joel Edwards, 17. Jack Littlejohn. Reserves: 18. Junior Tatola, 19. Justin Hunt, 20. Kyle Lovett, 21. Matt Ballin.