AFLW player Tayla Harris’ manager denies footy star is money hungry

AFLW star Tayla Harris may take a year off footy, after pay negotiations fizzled over a sizeable gap — but her manager denies she’s money hungry.

Tayla Harris’ manager says she’s not “money hungry” and may consider taking a year off from footy.

Negotiations between Harris and Carlton broke down on Friday after a sizeable gap in pay expectations for next season.

It was reported by the Herald Sun that the forward, who is paid about $25,000 to play football, was asking for about $150,000.

Harris’ manager Alex Saundry said the AFLW star may even consider taking a year off.

“I think the biggest part about this at the moment is that it’s actually been blown out of the water in terms of its context,’’ Saundry told KIIS FM’s Jase and PJ in the Morning.

“It’s been blown out of proportion in terms of the numbers reported in the media. The numbers are nowhere near where they were.

AFLW star Tayla Harris is not money hungry, according to her manager. Picture: Michael Klein

“Carlton coach spoke Friday morning on radio and said the gap was too large.

“I think it was a really poor choice of words unfortunately from Daniel Harford.”

Saundry added: “It’s not out of the question that’s for sure (to take a year off).

“Our focus is to make sure Tayla is performing her best. So we’re not just going to accept anything at a club that we think, yeah go and play.

“There’s expansion coming in across the next 2-3 years. We’re really excited for what that holds but we will make sure the opportunity is right for Tayla.

“Again taking the money off the table. She is not money hungry, and I want to make that really clear.”

Saundry said Harris, a three-time All-Australian, who rose to prominence via The Kick photograph, was taking a break from social media and focusing on her boxing training.

She said she acknowledged her season wasn’t up to scratch.

“The same day that Tayla Harris, the figures were reported, there was a same contract that was worth $6 million for a male — but who takes the target, it’s the female athlete all the time,’’ Saundry said.

Tayla Harris will take some time off. Picture: Mark Stewart

“She’s having some time off and that’s been directed by me. That’s really important. Her purpose at the moment is to put her head down and train. She’s training three times a day and she’s training her absolute butt off.”

Saundry said it took guts to acknowledge her poor form and she shouldn’t be judged on “seven average games”.

“She went to the club in her exit interview, she sat down with the club and said I want to be upfront, I had a below average season and I’m not going to shy away from that,’’ Saundry said.

“And I thought that was really mature of someone like Tayla to be able to be quite vulnerable … we know she can get back to her best.

Tayla Harris is famously known for The Kick photo. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images.

“She put (AFLW) on the map. Eddie (McGuire) has said on record that the biggest commercial deals that they were able to do at Collingwood in his time as president was because of the diversity, because of the female teams.

“How do you base a career off seven average games or seven average shows … that’s what we’ve been disappointed about. That’s my choice of words disappointed. Footy’s a business and we all know that so as a management company we have to be really agile and flexible. “It’s not about the marketing, it’s not about the dollars.

“To be honest she’s got her head down training and she’s playing her role.

When you back Tayla into a corner like she is at the moment, gee whiz, I can’t wait to see her come out.”