AFL Women’s star Tayla Harris opens up for the first time about the love and support she found in AFLW player Kodi Jacques
It was one of the most high profile player movement stories the AFLW has seen. Now Tayla Harris is set to take footy fans through exactly what was happening.
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It all started with a coathanger.
And not the kind you line up in your wardrobe.
But while their relationship had the unlikeliest of beginnings, AFL Women’s star Tayla Harris and Richmond counterpart Kodi Jacques’ pairing is turning out to be footy’s ultimate team.
Harris, 25, has opened up for the first time about the love she has described as the pillar of support she has needed to get through the tumult of the Covid pandemic and changing clubs, having landed at Melbourne ahead of the recent AFLW season.
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In Harris’ documentary, Kick Like Tayla which streams on Amazon Prime from this Thursday, Jacques recalls their first interaction as being when Harris – then at Carlton – collected her high as the two sides clashed.
They can laugh about it now, Harris says, with their life at home together a world away from any on-field “beef”.
“It’s hilarious, because I didn’t know Kodes then,” Harris told the Herald Sun.
“She was getting into my teammates … that’s her X-factor.
“She’s very strong-minded and I love that about her. She was giving it to us, so I had to repay the favour.
“It wasn’t a big deal, because she felt that she probably deserved it. I never mean to hurt anyone, of course. I think she understands that in football, if you give it out, you’ve got to expect to get it back.”
The documentary details Harris’ fight against trolls, her ugly departure from Carlton at the end of the 2021 season amid intense media scrutiny surrounding her wage, her emotion at being separated from her Queensland-based family during Melbourne’s lockdowns and her move to Melbourne.
It takes viewers inside her home life with Jacques and how they push each other in training and life after their relationship blossomed in the months that followed their less-than-fairytale first encounter.
They’re also co-parents to the other eight legs in the house – their two border collies, Elaine and Beans.
“The only thing that I can continue to do is have good people around me and be a good support for them … so that in turn when something comes my way, that I have people to lean on as well,” Harris said.
“’Kodes’ is great at that. There’s things that she goes through that I try my best to give all of my support for, and vice versa.
“Clearly, the most recent one was changing clubs. At home, I have three – one person and two dogs – that I can rely on to have my absolute best interests.
“To have complete confidence that someone has only your best interests is something that I can feel fortunate for.”
The pair were spotted often during lockdown and on Instagram pounding the pavement and the backyard boxing bag as they pledged to use their time wisely – to up their respective games, and draw on each others’ strengths.
“She is a much better runner than I am,” Harris says of Jacques.
“She’ll push me, and on the gym side of things and boxing, that’s something that I’m super entrenched in.
“We help each other in different ways to be better people, and that’s all you can ask for.”
Harris’ torrid encounter with trolls in the wake of her famous kick in 2019 is also detailed in the documentary, which will premiere in Melbourne on Tuesday night, with her parents Warren and Lisa emotionally detailing the experience that included being forced to put heavy security measures in place following serious threats to Harris via social media.
The latest addition in her eclectic collection of ink – a portrait of Queen Elizabeth in homage to the royal family’s “never complain, never explain” mantra – is also captured.
The now-Demon said when she was first approached to be part of the Amazon Prime production, she had wondered “why me?”.
“I got over that initial thought of ‘who cares’ and then went into the world of understanding … that if it affects someone in a positive way then I’m more than happy for it to be something that I took part in and I can be really proud of the production,” she said, describing the fly-on-the wall hour as “a keepsake”.
“My parents are in it, my friends are in it and I can forever watch that which is pretty special.”
Harris, who will play at Melbourne again this year with the next AFL Women’s pre-season to begin in less than three weeks, played in her third AFLW grand final last month and while she remains without silverware from her trio of attempts, a quicker chance than usual provides a prime opportunity for redemption.
“I haven’t watched it, but lo and behold, the sun came up the next day,” she said.
“When in history has there ever been the opportunity to win a premiership in the second half of the year? Opportunity comes knocking and we’ll just take our opportunity to reset and go again and have the experience under our belt.”
KICK LIKE TAYLA STREAMS ON PRIME VIDEO FROM MAY 27
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