Crow Courtney Cramey weighs into Tayla Harris controversy: ‘You’ve got an insight into some untrained media girls out there’
Collingwood defender Stacey Livingstone set the AFLW alight on Sunday afternoon when she labelled Carlton forward Tayla Harris “useless”. Two Crows stars have had their say on the matter.
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Crows stars Courtney Cramey and Ebony Marinoff say they sympathise with Collingwood defender Stacey Livingstone who created AFLW controversy on Sunday when she labelled her Carlton counterpart Tayla Harris “useless” at ground level in a post-match interview.
On The Advertiser’s new women’s football podcast, CJ and the Noff, Cramey said Livingstone probably got her words “a bit mixed up”.
“We’re in season four of AFLW now and what you saw was the rawness of girls being interviewed after games … you’ve got an insight into some untrained media girls out there,” Cramey said.
“After a game you’re pretty up and about and if you can get on top of Tayla Harris you’d be feeling pretty chuffed about it.
“But I don’t necessarily think you’d be happy calling her useless because you wouldn’t want to match up on her again.”
Despite Livingstone reaching out to Harris on Sunday night and apologising over the phone, Harris took aim at the controversy on social media, posting on her Instagram account: “A lion doesn’t lose sleep over the opinion of sheep”.
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She later clarified saying the quote was directed at commentary surrounding the issue, not Livingstone.
But Marinoff said had an opponent said something similar about her, she wouldn’t retaliate in any way, particularly on social media.
“The question is, do you buy into it, or keep quiet and let your playing do the talking?,” Marinoff said.
“I’d be letting my playing do the talking.”
Despite the social media post, Harris said she wasn’t fazed by the comment.
“She’s apologised, so I don’t want to add useless commentary,” she said.
Livingstone, 32, yesterday admitted she could have “chosen my words better”, but reiterated her view about the way she believed Harris played.
“But I do feel if you take her out of the air contest somehow then you should have her covered,” Livingstone said on Melbourne radio.
Champion Data statistics indicate that Harris – who leads the competition for contested marks – sits equal 21st on the list of the top 25 forwards in AFLW for ground balls won inside 50 over her 21-game career.
Blues coach Daniel Harford – who served as assistant coach at Collingwood before his tenure at Carlton began – said on Monday morning that Livingstone’s comment simply “doesn’t stack up”.
“Anyone who’s seen Tayla play would know that … the detail of the conversation and the comment from Stacey doesn’t stack up,” he said on RSN.
“Tayla’s more than capable when the ball is on the ground.”
Harford said he believed Livingstone went in with the exact plan to deprive Harris of the ball in the air.
“As a defender, and knowing Stacey like I do, that’s absolutely how she would have prepared for that,” the coach said.
“So that makes perfect sense.
“She said what she said and in that moment; I think it’s become a really big story because of those emotive words like ‘useless’ create great emotion.”
Harris took to Twitter on Sunday night to declare she hoped the two teams would face off again this season, which could only occur if they both play finals.