Why has the Tayla Harris statue caused such outrage? Jon Ralph says it’s time for some perspective
When a statue immortalising Tayla Harris’ famous kick was unveiled, it sparked the same online trolling which led the Carlton AFLW player to speak out. It’s time those who have been critical got some perspective, writes Jon Ralph.
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In an ideal world Tayla Harris should have a statue — but not yet.
There is a legitimate debate to be had about whether a real bronze statue outside the MCG recognising her AFLW feats would have a bigger impact in a decade.
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As Dermott Brereton says, she is the one player in the women’s ranks he sees with a pure leap at the ball that has such power that one day few might be able to stop her.
Wait until her career is finished and put that statue outside the MCG next to Kevin Bartlett, Betty Cuthbert and Shirley Strickland.
The cynics will rightly point to the fact this statue was sponsored by a bank who would be delirious for the publicity and has no set resting place yet.
But put aside those arguments and it’s hard to sustain any lasting outrage.
Anyone who bothered to even vaguely inquire about the motivation for the statue quickly found out it was about the symbolism of Harris’ kick rather than celebration of her short career.
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Surely no one believes it is there because of reward for being trolled, as AFL legend Malcolm Blight mischievously suggested.
It is a striking moment that celebrates all that is good about the athleticism and grace of Harris and what she represents to the sport.
That moment empowered and it galvanised.
It was a watershed moment for women’s sport in Australia.
In an ideal world she wouldn’t have the statue yet, but we aren’t in an ideal world.
Watching a replay of the Boomers’ World Cup take-down of the Czech Republic in the quarterfinals with my six-year-old daughter this morning, she asked me an innocent question.
“Is there a women’s basketball league as well”, she asked.
Her older brother loves tennis and Harry Potter and Lego.
She just loves sport, with daylight second and third.
I was able to tell her she could play basically any sport she wanted at professional level, confident by the time she turns 18 the ones which aren’t professional well might be.
How many years have parents been able to tell their daughters they can make a career out of most sports they want without sacrificing basically everything else in their lives?
Georgina can dream about becoming the next Ellyse Perry or Sam Kerr just as much as her brother James can hope he will follow Pat Rafter’s journey on the tennis court.
While getting paid for the privilege.
The AFLW has been able to secure a ridiculous amount of publicity and money for what, to be honest, has been a quality of competition that pales in comparison with our Australian Diamonds and their netball heroics.
But who cares if it sparks interest in female sport and awareness for what they are capable of at elite level.
If the AFLW has got overs compared to the trailblazing women’s competitions who have got little publicity by comparison, surely people see the dramatic flow-on effect across all sports.
In TV coverage and salaries and media attention and recognition.
So you can froth at the mouth about a suitability of a statue.
Or you can get on board and realise that half of the population now not only has a genuine career path if they want in sport, they have dozens of role models to inspire them.
Like Tayla Harris, Kerr, Perry, Ash Barty, the Campbell sisters, Liz Cambage, Jess Fox, Stephanie Gilmore, Alyssa Healy, Minjee Lee, Daisy Pearce, Darcy Vescio and Sally Pearson.
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