Former NRL star Dave Taylor has been handed a rugby league lifeline after signing a two-year deal with the Central Queensland Capras to play in their state competition.
Taylor had yet to play a game for Canadian club Toronto Wolfpack when he was sacked a fortnight ago following a reported incident during a pre-season camp in Portugal.
However the ex-Queensland State of Origin representative, who last year played for Canberra in the NRL, has landed back on his feet in his hometown of Rockhampton.
Taylor trained with the Capras late last year prior to his move to Toronto, who last year drew headlines after earning promotion to the Championship - the second-tier league in England.
"(It's) huge for the whole region to have Dave back in town and representing the region he grew up in," Capras coach Kim Williams said on Thursday.
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"Rockhampton was the area he went to school in as well.
"He trained with us just before Christmas in preparation for the season ahead and as things have turned out he's landed up back here and obviously we've welcomed him with open arms.
"It's a massive coup for our club to have a player of his quality on board."
The 29-year-old Taylor made 11 appearances for the Raiders last year - his latest stop in a troubled NRL career that included stints at Brisbane, South Sydney and Gold Coast.
He played eight games for the Maroons between 2010-14 and one Test for Australia in 2012.
