Tayla Harris responds after Stacey Livingstone’s swipe; David King says it’s just what AFLW needs

The most recognisable player in AFLW copped it between the eyes on the weekend — then posted a response of her own showing she won’t back down.

Tayla Harris has responded after Collingwood defender Stacey Livingstone took a brutal swipe at the AFLW star, claiming the Carlton player is “useless” when not airborne.

Harris made headlines in 2019 when a photo of her kicking a football went viral after receiving a flood of crude, hateful comments.

The controversy started a discussion about the online harassment of Australia’s female athletes, with a prototype statue of the famous kick unveiled at Federation Square in Melbourne.

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After Collingwood’s 6.3 (39) to 3.6 (24) win over Carlton at Ikon Park on Sunday — their first ever victory over the old enemy in the AFLW — 32-year-old Livingstone was asked how she dealt with the Harris match-up.

“This is year four, so I’d like to think that I know how to play her already,” Livingstone said.

“You’ve just got to stop her in the air; that’s her game. If you can do that, she’s useless.”

Livingstone spoke about Harris again at her post-match press conference, admitting the comments were intended as harmless “smack talk”.

“Nah she’s pretty good. It was a bit of smack talk,” Livingstone said.

“You’ve just got to stop her run to the ball and if you can stop her aerially, she doesn’t do all that much.”

Livingstone’s remarks caused plenty of headlines in the media and Harris seemed to allude to them on social media on Monday afternoon.

pic.twitter.com/XNR3wbYDCZ

— Tayla Harris (@taylaharriss) February 17, 2020

Harris’ latest post came after she wrote “same” in response to a tweet that encouraged a rematch between the Pies and Blues in the finals.

Carlton AFLW coach Daniel Harford hit back at Livingstone, calling her assessment “borderline garbage”.

“Is that what she said? God love her,” Harford said when informed of the “useless” comments.

“That’s someone who’s feeling really good about themselves after a great performance isn’t it? And she’s entitled to feel really good about the way she played and the way her team played today, but anyone who’s watched Tayla play would know that’s not the case, that’s borderline garbage.

“To suggest that there’s only one element to Tayla’s game is fodder.”

AFL GREATS WELCOME BACK-AND-FORTH

AFLW star Tayla Harris at the unveiling of a prototype statue in Melbourne last September

Kangaroos premiership player David King described the back-and-forth as great for the women’s game.

“I’m a huge fan of The AFLW competition, but I feel today was its finest day. All long term successful competitions need passion and often little bit of hatred helps,” he tweeted.

“It shows all just how much it means to the combatants when they speak with such spice. Bloody loved it!!”

“It’s just brutal honesty, that’s what it is,” Bombers legend Tim Watson added on SEN Breakfast.

“(The Collingwood coaches) they’ve put up the board and they’ve gone through every player and the coach has looked at Stacey and said ‘okay, when you play on Tayla, this is what she’s good at, she’s got great aerial strength, but if you knock it to ground she’s useless and out of the play once the ball hits the ground’ ... So that’s what is in her mind.

“At the conclusion of the game she’s done her job, that’s what the coach said, ‘the coach spelled it out for me, it was completely and utterly correct, the ball hit the ground and she was useless’.”

King, also an analyst for Fox Footy, said Harris was “an absolute star”.

“Her aerial work is the best in the competition. She understands that part of the game and I’m sure the rest is a work in progress. Very few players nail every component of the game.

I’m tipping Tayla to kick 3+ goals in rematch!” he added.

Livingstone managed 15 disposals in the fixture, and kept Harris quiet in attack, who claimed two marks, six disposals and kicked only one goal in the 15-point loss.

Harris has twice been named in the AFLW All-Australian team, and was Carlton’s leading goal kicker in both the 2018 and 2019 seasons. She is also a professional boxer, currently undefeated after seven bouts.

MAGPIES’ HISTORIC AFLW FIRST

Carlton’s co-captains Katie Loynes and Kerryn Harrington limped off the field in the second and third quarters respectively, immediately putting the hosts under pressure.

The pair played out the game, but appeared hampered, while teammate Grace Egan was concussion-tested in the final term.

D’Arcy impressed up forward for the Magpies with 13 touches, three marks and kicking 1.2. She also set up goals in an influential performance.

Collingwood forwards Jordan Membrey (two goals and 11 disposals), Aishling Sheridan (one goal and 14 disposals) provided D’Arcy with sound support.

The Blues’ best performers were Egan, who had 18 touches and a game-high 10 tackles, Madison Prespakis (17 disposals), Chloe Dalton (13 disposals) and Jess Hosking (11 disposals and five tackles).

The Magpies celebrate their first ever win over Carlton in the AFLW

Carlton’s effort couldn’t be questioned as they finished with more tackles (66-44) and clearances (23-18), but their inaccuracy in front of goal and lack of polish cost them.

The Magpies began the match stronger and were rewarded with three consecutive goals, giving them a deserved 20-point lead early in the second quarter.

The Blues found themselves out-positioned in defence, allowing Collingwood’s forwards to run rings around them.

After pinching a goal late in the first half, courtesy of Lauren Brazzale, Carlton enjoyed another bright patch late in the third quarter, but could manage only three behinds.

Collingwood remain undefeated in the 2020 AFLW season, winning two from two. They will next face Fremantle in an away fixture on Saturday.

With AAP