Advertisement

‘She’s useless’: AFLW star Tayla Harris sledged after Collingwood’s milestone win

Carlton trailed at every change on Sunday.

Carlton trailed at every change on Sunday. Photo: AAP

Tayla Harris is one of the biggest names in AFLW but that did not stop Collingwood defender Stacey Livingstone from dubbing her as “useless” on Sunday.

Livingstone impressed and kept Carlton forward Harris to just one goal as Collingwood recorded a 15-point win over its traditional rivals at Ikon Park on Sunday.

The win was Collingwood’s first in the AFLW against Carlton and Livingstone did not pull any punches in a post-match interview.

“This is year four [of the AFLW], so I’d like to know … I’d like to think that I know how to play on her already,” Livingstone told the Seven Network.

“But you’ve just got to stop her in the air. That’s her game.

“And if you can do that, she’s useless.”

Livingstone then attended a press conference and said that her comments were “a bit of smack talk”.

She added that Harris was a “really good player” but that she still felt she had the Carlton star’s measure.

“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,” she said.

“This is my fourth year playing on her, so I kind of know how to play on her, which is really satisfying.”

The high-profile Harris has been selected in the AFLW All-Australian team twice in three years.

Seven quoted Livingstone’s comments on Twitter and said: “Hope Collingwood and Carlton meet again in the finals.”

Harris responded, simply adding: “Same.”

‘Borderline garbage’

Carlton AFLW coach Daniel Harford hit back at Livingstone’s comments after his side’s defeat.

“Anyone who’s watched Tayla play would know that that’s not the case,” Harford said.

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

In the AFLW off-season, Harris is a boxer, and Harford was confident his player would respond in her next match.

“She moves forward pretty quick, Tay,” he added.

“She gets punched in the nose a lot in her other job and once that happens, you can’t just sit there and let yourself get punched in the nose again.”

Collingwood forward Sarah D’Arcy also impressed for the Magpies, while Jordan Membrey booted two goals for the victors.

Crows come from behind

Reigning AFLW premiers Adelaide kicked three goals to none in the final quarter to defeat St Kilda 6.4 (40) to 4.3 (27) on Sunday.

Caitlin Gould, Madison Newman and Eloise Jones kicked the crucial goals in the final quarter for the Crows, while Ebony Marinoff and Anne Hatchard were important in the midfield.

Also on Sunday, Jesse Wardlaw kicked three goals as Brisbane came from behind to beat Geelong 6.3 (39) to 3.2 (20).

Suns break through, Bowers catches the eye

Gold Coast recorded its first AFLW win on Saturday, defeating an inaccurate Richmond 5.3 (33) to 2.10 (22).

Both sides are new to the competition in 2020 and Jamie Stanton was fantastic for the Suns.

In Perth, Fremantle’s Kiara Bowers impressed with her tenacity in the Dockers’ 45-point win over rivals West Coast, the midfielder registering 18 tackles for the match.

Of those tackles, 11 came in the first quarter, with her total of 18 leaving Bowers just three short of the AFLW record.

Fremantle kept the Eagles scoreless in the first term and won 9.6 (60) to 2.3 (15).

Elsewhere in Round 2, North Melbourne beat Greater Western Sydney by 18 points, and Melbourne defeated Western Bulldogs by 20 points on Friday night.

Stay informed, daily
A FREE subscription to The New Daily arrives every morning and evening.
The New Daily is a trusted source of national news and information and is provided free for all Australians. Read our editorial charter
Copyright © 2024 The New Daily.
All rights reserved.