Jon Anderson: Stacey Livingstone should be applauded for speaking her mind
Collingwood defender Stacey Livingstone may have stunned AFLW viewers but her straight-shooting words may well be a pivotal moment in the game, writes Jon Anderson.
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Her thoughts may be “garbage” to some, but the outspoken nature of Stacey Livingstone’s words from Ikon Park may just have been a central moment in the fledgling history of AFLW.
Livingstone, a Collingwood defender of some aplomb, was asked on Channel 7 how she found playing on high-profile Carlton forward Tayla Harris.
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Her response will go into the annals of AFLW history.
“You’ve just got to stop her in the air. If you can do that, she’s useless,” responded Livingstone, much to the shock of those listening.
I use the term “shock’ because we have become so conditioned to the sterile responses from AFL players and persons, except of course for Adelaide coach Malcolm Blight when he once described his ruckman David Pittman “as pathetic”.
AFL players are media coached to within an inch of their lives, their utterances so very predictable as they strive to never give the opposition extra motivation.
And then there is Livingstone, someone who speaks in the same straightforward manner she plays.
Good on her and don’t underestimate the profound effect her words will have in promoting AFLW to a wider audience.
Sport sometimes needs controversy and the fighting words of Livingstone are just the tonic.
Then again she is a product of Port Melbourne Colts, an area renown for producing straight-shooters.