New Blue Tayla Harris makes her own luck with clean slate at Carlton

TAYLA Harris is yet to fulfil her potential as an AFLW forward but says her new life as a Blue has reinvigorated her game. She hopes to form a devastating attacking combination with Carlton star Darcy Vescio.

Carlton's gun AFLW recruit Tayla Harris has moved from Brisbane and is determined to make a big splash in footy's biggest territory. Picture: Alex Coppel

TAYLA Harris is yet to fulfil her potential as a forward and says her new life as a Blue has reinvigorated her game.

Harris, 20, requested a trade from Brisbane after the first season of AFL Women’s and named Carlton as her destination of choice, with the key forward one of the biggest trades completed over the off-season.

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Carlton's gun AFLW recruit Tayla Harris has moved from Brisbane and is determined to make a big splash in footy's biggest territory. Picture: Alex Coppel

As a Lion — and with that now-famous kicking style — Harris played all eight games of AFLW01, averaging three marks per game and booting four goals.

She was selected in the All-Australian team, on interchange, but says she considered this season a clean slate and wants to take things up a notch.

“I just don’t think that I played like I can,” Harris told the Herald Sun.

“I’m kind of learning everything new and that’s what happens when you go to a new club. It’s a massive challenge, because I had played footy my whole life and now probably not really but I feel like I’m still learning a lot.

“I want to be the best so I want to take everything everyone says. I love feedback and constructive criticism.”

Harris watched on in wonder when Carlton played Collingwood in front of a lockout crowd in the AFL Women’s opener this time last year.

Harris says she is ready to show her full potential in the navy blue. Picture: Alex Coppel

She’d just finished training with her Lion teammates and they gathered around the telly as Gillon McLachlan stood outside Ikon Park to apologise to the masses who were desperate for a look.

They couldn’t quite believe it.

On Friday night, Harris will have a front-row seat as a new season of AFLW kicks off. Only this time, in navy blue.

Six months into her new life — new club, new home, new day job, new dog (Beans) — things couldn’t be travelling more smoothly.

“It’s more (than I could have imagined),” Harris said.

“Carlton has just been unreal. I didn’t realise at the time that I’d be changing my entire life when I was going to come and play for Carlton, but everything when I look back ... all of it has worked out really well.

Harris is also dabbling as a professional boxer. Photographer: Liam Kidston.

“There’s nothing at the moment that I’m struggling with. It’s actually a little bit scary how well everything has worked out. I’m really fortunate.”

But she doesn’t thank luck for leading her to life as a Blue, living with the Cameron family and coaching others to learn to box.

“I don’t think it’s luck, at all,” the forward said.

“I’m definitely in the right place with the right people. It’s the right thing for me at this time in my life. I’m really happy and my footy has reflected that. I’m training well and feeling good.”

She’ll work alongside electric Blues forward Darcy Vescio, whose agility and creativeness in front of goal took the football world by storm on that first night at Ikon Park.

That distinctive Tayla Harris kicking style, in full flight. Picture: AFL Media/Getty Images

Coach Damien Keeping — who Harris said has built such relationships with his players that they “want to play well for him to make him proud” — has said he is confident the pair will complement one and other’s game, and Harris agrees.

“We get on really well — we’re mates and our games are very different,” she said.

“Both of us are really open to feedback. If I’m in her way, I want her to tell me. I think she’s unreal and I look up to her a lot. It’s a good fit.”